Migration Tale of Databases – 6 Reasons to move from Oracle to Microsoft SQL

As far as I have seen, there are majorly two types of DBAs. The one who favor the Oracle and the others who favor Microsoft SQL. Each of the database systems are very well tested and designed with years of improvement done with experience. They share a long listing of similarities but also few differences which makes the software and system architects choose one from the two.

This article doesn’t fall into discussing the differences between the two, but rather gives you a high level insight about the migration ideology behind moving the database workloads from Oracle to MS SQL.

Why should I move my databases from Oracle to MS SQL?

Does this question arise in your mind? Well, I can describe 6 reasons

#1. Very limited cloud exposure of Oracle Systems.

Cloud technology is the need of every organization today. Not necessary it is always a 100% migration case scenario but it can also be the case where cloud can be used as a part of hybrid implementation or disaster recovery site. With Microsoft SQL, we get options for implementing the database on cloud as well as on-premises. Even if the database is implemented on-premises, a very tight integration can be done with Microsoft Azure. Oracle on the other end, doesn’t have those cloud capabilities at the moment. So to be honest I can’t see any future in cloud with Oracle.

#2. Cost Saving with MS SQL

There are lot of good factors when it comes to costing with MS SQL. As the overall setup and maintenance operations are not too complex like Oracle database systems, I feel that even a developer with intermediate level of knowledge in database can take up the role of database administrator. There will be no need of spending more, from the precious IT budget on DBAs. Also the features like Always On with MS SQL makes it highly available and support business continuity plan at zero additional cost unlike Oracle where features like ‘Active Data Guards’ and ‘Real Application Clusters’ comes with an extra cost.

#3. The ‘In-Memory’ capabilities of MS SQL.

Microsoft’s new offering in database world: The ‘In-Memory’ OLTP is a game changer in true sense. This feature is also known as Hekaton. This capability helps application performance reach sky limits. The magic is in the way this technique stores and manages data. Very suitable for workloads which has high data ingestion rate or requires session state management, read performance, scaling and heavy data processing.

#4. SQL Server now on Linux

A good news for Linux lovers. A very recent news from Microsoft states the release of SQL Server version compatible to run on Linux to launch somewhere around mid-2017. We don’t find a lot of information about this as there is still sometime for its launch. But I feel this will attract many organizations running hybrid environments with different OS platforms.

#5. Microsoft’s offer for migration

Microsoft is quiet serious in terms of marketing the SQL server products. Till June 30^th 2016, Microsoft is offering free licenses to customers who are ready to migrate their databases from Oracle to Microsoft SQL with software assurance. Not only this, they would also help in migration and deliver free trainings on SQL products. Now that’s too aggressive!

#6. Gartner report proves MS SQL as leader

Gartner report is followed a lot by many in the world. This is so far the most useful report for Cloud Solutions Architects and other Technical Consultants to prove their preferred platform or product to be efficient. It’s very impressive to see MS SQL as a leader in database technology and ahead of its biggest competitor – Oracle. Get a glance of the report here

Now if you have made up your mind going for this migration, Than SSMA could give you sight of relief. SSMA stands for SQL Server Migration Assistant. A very nice and fancy tool developed by Microsoft which can easily migrate your databases from Oracle systems to your SQL Servers. I may write a separate blog regarding the tool. Feel free to post any queries and share your suggestions.

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