Azure SQL Migration Extension Deprecation: What You Need to Know

Microsoft has announced the deprecation of the Azure SQL Migration extension in Azure Data Studio, with retirement scheduled for February 28, 2026. This change is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to streamline and unify migration experiences across Azure SQL services. As Azure Data Studio itself will also retire on the same date, users need to transition to alternative migration tools and approaches.

What's Changing

The Azure SQL Migration extension will be removed from the Azure Data Studio marketplace, and the extension will no longer function after the retirement date. This affects users who currently rely on this extension for SQL Server migrations to various Azure SQL targets including Azure SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, and Azure SQL Database.

Pre-Migration: Discovery and Assessments

Before migrating, it's crucial to assess your SQL Server environment for readiness and determine the appropriate Azure SQL SKU. Microsoft recommends several alternatives:

SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc provides a comprehensive migration experience through the Azure Arc portal. This solution offers instance discovery at scale, migration assessments, readiness assessments for all Azure SQL targets, performance-based right-sized recommendations, and projected Azure costs with recommended target configurations. To get started, deploy Azure Arc on your servers, and SQL Server instances on Arc-enabled servers will automatically connect to Azure Arc.

Automated assessments at scale can be performed using Azure DMS PowerShell and Azure CLI modules. These command-line tools allow for programmatic assessment workflows, with sample templates available for both Azure PowerShell DataMigration cmdlets and DMS Azure CLI commands.

Azure Migrate is recommended for scenarios requiring assessments at the data center level, including different types of workloads like applications, VM servers, and databases. This tool provides comprehensive discovery and assessment capabilities at scale.

Migration to Azure SQL Managed Instance

For migrations to Azure SQL Managed Instance, Microsoft offers several options:

SQL Migration experience in Azure Arc provides an end-to-end migration journey in a single experience. This includes evergreen assessments, right-fit Azure SQL target recommendations, inline Azure SQL target creation, a free Azure SQL MI Next Generation General Purpose service for 12 months, near-zero downtime migration using Managed Instance link powered by Distributed Availability Group technology, and secure connectivity.

Automated migration at scale can be achieved using Azure DMS PowerShell and Azure CLI for programmatic orchestration of migrations to Azure SQL MI.

Migration to SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines

For migrations to SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, the following options are available:

Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) supports both online and offline migration methods. SQL Server backups can be stored in Azure Blob Storage or on network SMB file shares. The migration experience from SQL Server on-premises to SQL Server on Azure VM will soon be available in SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc.

Automated migration at scale using Azure DMS PowerShell and Azure CLI provides programmatic migration capabilities.

SSMS migration component allows migration when you can connect to both SQL Server on-premises and SQL Server running on Azure VM using SQL Server Management Studio.

Migration to Azure SQL Database

Migrating to Azure SQL Database typically involves separate schema and data migration steps. Options include:

Offline migration can be performed using the Azure DMS portal experience, which uses Azure Data Factory and leverages the Self-hosted Integration Runtime (SHIR). Installation steps are available in the documentation. Automated migration at scale can also be achieved using Azure DMS PowerShell and Azure CLI.

Online migration is enabled through a strategic partnership between Microsoft and Striim, allowing continuous data replication from off-Azure SQL Servers to Azure SQL Database with near-zero downtime. This partnership aims to remove barriers to database migration through Striim's Unlimited Database Migration program.

Summary of Alternatives

Microsoft provides a comprehensive table summarizing the available alternatives for each migration scenario:

Migration Scenario	Guided experience	Automation experience
Pre-Migration (Discovery + Assessment)	SQL Migration experience in Azure Arc / Azure Migrate	DMS PowerShell / Azure CLI
To Azure SQL Managed Instance	SQL Migration experience in Azure Arc	DMS PowerShell / Azure CLI
To SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machine	DMS Azure Portal / SSMS migration component	DMS PowerShell / Azure CLI
To Azure SQL Database	DMS Azure portal (offline & schema migration) / Striim (online migration)	DMS PowerShell / Azure CLI (offline & schema migration)

Final Thoughts

Microsoft encourages users to simplify their SQL migration journey by leveraging connected migration experiences in SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, DMS, and SSMS. The company is continuously enhancing these tools, with cloud migration capabilities being brought into SSMS as the next step after assessment and migration capabilities.

Feedback and Support

Microsoft welcomes customer feedback and suggestions for the product group. Users can provide feedback through the designated feedback form. If suitable alternatives are not found for any migration phases, users are encouraged to use the feedback form to help Microsoft update the options accordingly.

The retirement of the Azure SQL Migration extension marks a significant shift in Microsoft's migration strategy, consolidating tools into a more unified and scalable platform. Users should begin planning their transition to the recommended alternatives well before the February 28, 2026 retirement date to ensure smooth migration operations.