Best Practices for Implementing Data Platform Services in 2025

Posted on April 15, 2025April 15, 2025 by snp

It’s 2025, and businesses are leaning hard on data to stay ahead. Data platform services—the tools and systems that manage, store, and analyze all that info—are at the heart of this. Setting them up takes thought and clear steps to get right.

Here’s a rundown of the best ways to make it happen, filled with practical advice from solid sources like Microsoft’s data strategies and what’s working out there in the industry.

Start With a Simple Plan

Before jumping into a data platform, every company needs a basic plan. It’s about knowing what the business is after—better customer details, faster reports, or lower costs. Without this, things can go off the rails quick.

Check what’s already in place: what data’s there, where it’s stored (local or cloud), and how it’s used. This points to the right tools—like Azure Synapse or Microsoft Fabric—and sets a timeline. Microsoft and other experts say matching the setup to business goals keeps it all on track and cuts out wasted effort.

Get Data Moving Smoothly

Shifting data to a new system is a big deal, and it’s got to be smooth. Look at the old setup—databases, files, everything—and sort out what’s moving. Some can transfer as-is, while other parts might need a tweak to fit.

Tools like Azure Data Factory pull data from all over and land it safely in the cloud. Testing’s critical—make sure nothing’s lost and the new system works right. Microsoft’s advice is to secure it with encryption and backups during the move, so there’s no chance of trouble.

Set Up Rules to Keep Data in Check

A data platform won’t help much if the data’s a jumble. Rules—known as governance—keep it organized, safe, and ready to use. Decide who can access what, label sensitive stuff (like customer info), and stick to laws like GDPR.

Tools like Azure Purview scan and sort data automatically, saving effort. Regular checks ensure it’s reliable, so teams can trust what they’ve got. Industry reports, like from Gartner, say strong governance is what makes data systems pay off in 2025.

Update Systems With Cloud and Analytics

Old data setups can hold a business back, so updating them is essential. Cloud options—like Azure—bring flexibility and power, cutting hardware costs and letting systems grow with demand. Adding analytics, especially AI, boosts it further—think spotting trends or predicting customer needs. Microsoft Fabric ties storage, processing, and analytics together, speeding things up. Start small—update one area, test it, then expand—following Microsoft’s tried-and-true steps.

SNP Technologies Inc. nails this. Our data platform services use Azure and AI to shift businesses from outdated systems to ones that deliver, keeping everything running strong and efficient.

Make Sure Teams Know the Ropes

Even the best system falls flat if people can’t use it. Training staff—tech crews, analysts, everyone involved—gets them comfortable with the new tools. It’s more than tech tricks; it’s showing how the data helps their day-to-day. Tools like Power BI let teams share reports easily, boosting teamwork. Microsoft suggests keeping everyone in the loop with updates and chats, so the platform becomes part of the routine, not just a sidelined gadget.

Check and Adjust as It Runs

Once the data platform services are rolling, the job isn’t over. Test speed, security, and accuracy to catch issues early. Tools like Azure Monitor keep an eye on performance, flagging slow spots or hiccups. Then tweak as needed—maybe add storage or tighten security—based on what’s happening. This steady care, rooted in industry know-how, keeps things solid for whatever 2025 brings.

For businesses ready to make this happen, SNP Technologies Inc. is a solid choice. Our expertise in data platform services—from moving data to setting rules—helps turn it into a real advantage. Reach out today—let SNP Technologies Inc. boost your data setup for 2025!

Cloud Migration Made Easy: The Role of a Microsoft CSP

Posted on April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 by snp

Moving a business to the cloud can feel like a mountain to climb. It’s about getting data, apps, and work stuff off office computers and onto the internet. That’s not something you just wing—it needs a plan and some know-how to keep things from breaking.

More and more companies are picking the cloud because it’s flexible and lets them grow. A Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) is the helper that makes it less of a chore and more of a win, built around what each business needs. Here’s how they do it, in plain words with real stuff from Microsoft’s CSP program and what’s out there.

Why Cloud Migration Can Feel Messy

Switching to the cloud isn’t always a walk in the park. Old systems don’t always play nice with new cloud setups, moving heaps of data can mean losing bits if you’re not careful, and nobody wants their work to freeze up. Then there are rules—like GDPR or HIPAA—that say you’ve got to keep private info safe the whole time. That’s why trying it alone can be a slog. A Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider steps in with the tools and smarts to smooth it out, especially for Azure, so it’s not such a hassle.

What a Microsoft CSP Really Does

A Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider isn’t just there to sell you cloud access—they’re like a buddy who’s got your back through the whole thing. They’re part of Microsoft’s CSP program, started back in 2015, which lets them take care of everything: planning it out, setting it up, and helping after. Instead of just grabbing something off Microsoft’s shelf, you get real support. They look at what you’ve got, figure out what’s moving, and make a plan that fits your business.

Take Azure Migrate—it’s a free tool they use to peek at your local setup and see what’s good to go. They spot which servers or apps can jump over easy and which need a little fix. With Azure Site Recovery, they move stuff without much interruption. That hands-on help—from licenses to sorting out bumps—is what sets them apart, right from Microsoft’s CSP details.

How They Keep It Simple

The move can seem like a tangle, but a cloud solution provider cuts it into easy chunks. They start by checking what’s there—servers, databases, apps—to see what can go online. Then they figure out the best way: keep it as-is, tweak it a bit, or spruce it up for the cloud. Tools like Azure Database Migration Service shift databases—like SQL Server—without throwing off your day.

They keep data safe with Azure’s handy features, like locking it down and picking who gets in. Licensing stays easy through the CSP program, so you’re not stuck. After it’s set, they use Azure Monitor to watch how it’s running. This clear, one-step-at-a-time way, backed by Microsoft’s tools, makes it less of a headache.

Why Their Skills Make a Difference

Most businesses don’t have cloud experts hanging around, and that’s where a cloud solution provider comes in clutch. CSP teams know Azure like the back of their hand—think networking, security, all that—and they meet Microsoft’s tough rules. They keep up with new bits, like Azure Arc, which links cloud and local stuff together. Their know-how means fewer slip-ups and a quicker move.

SNP Technologies Inc. brings this to life. As a Tier-1 Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, we’re all about Azure, helping businesses shift with plans that keep things steady. Our Cloud Management Platform gives a simple screen to check and tweak stuff, saving cash while keeping it smooth.

What You Get Out of It

Teaming up with a Microsoft CSP isn’t just about hitting the cloud—it’s about being set for the future. They adjust things to save money and grow easily, using Azure’s stretchy setup. Support sticks around, fixing issues fast. The CSP program mixes Microsoft’s tools with real help for a move that’s practical and smart.

For businesses ready to get going, SNP Technologies Inc. is a solid bet. As a dedicated cloud solution provider, we’ve got the skills and support to make Azure a breeze. Reach out today—SNP Technologies Inc. can turn cloud migration into a simple win!

Future of Data Governance: The Role of Azure Purview in 2025

Posted on April 7, 2025 by snp

It’s 2025, and data’s a huge part of keeping a business going. Data governance might sound like a big, fancy word, but it’s really about not letting all that info run wild. Companies have data sitting on office machines, up in clouds like Azure or AWS, and jammed into apps they use all the time.

With rules getting tougher and more on the line, keeping it under control is something they can’t skip. That’s where Azure Purview comes in—it’s a tool that really helps out. Here’s how it works, in a way that’s easy to understand.

Why Data Governance Is a Must Now

Picture a company’s data like a big pile of papers—some in the office, some online, some lost in the mix. That pile’s getting only higher this year, and laws like GDPR or CCPA are saying, sort it out and keep it safe. Data governance is just about getting it organized, locked up, and ready to use. Doing it the old way—by hand—is a pain and full of slip-ups. Businesses need something simpler, and Azure Purview services step in with an easy answer.

How Azure Purview Helps Out

Azure Purview is a Microsoft tool that rounds up all your data and makes it clear as day. It doesn’t care if it’s on your office setup, in Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, or some app—it grabs everything. Azure Purview services look it over, make a list of what’s there, and tell you what it’s all about. It’s great at finding stuff you don’t want everyone seeing—like customer names or bank info—without you having to dig around.

Say your staff details are spread out all over. Azure Purview services spot them, flag them as private, and point out where they’re at. With companies mixing cloud and on-site stuff, that’s a real lifesaver. Microsoft says it’s got smart tricks to do this quick and right, so you’re not stuck guessing.

Keeping Data Safe and Following the Rules

Security’s a big deal in 2025—one mess-up can hurt a lot and make people doubt you. Regulators are watching closely too. Azure Purview services help by keeping a record of where data’s been—something called data lineage. It’s like a little trail map. Need to show an auditor you’re on the up-and-up? That map’s right there.

It also puts up some fences. If the data’s personal, Azure Purview services mark it and keep it for just the right eyes. That’s a big help for places like hospitals or banks with strict rules. Microsoft hooks it up with Azure’s safety gear, so it’s a solid wall around your stuff.

Making Data Something You Can Use

Here’s the neat part: Azure Purview isn’t just about dodging trouble—it lets you put your data to work. In 2025, teams need info they can trust to plan things or spot what’s next. Azure Purview services give you a list that’s simple to look at, so everyone knows what’s there and it’s good to go. No more wrestling with a big mess.

SNP Technologies Inc. jumps in here. Our Azure Purview services help businesses sort their data, meet rules, and turn it into something valuable—all with a practical, down-to-earth approach.

What’s Next This Year and Beyond

Azure Purview’s only getting bigger. It’s built to handle new things—like AI or smart devices—that’ll change data this year and the years to come. Companies using Azure Purview services now will be set for what’s coming, thanks to how Microsoft keeps it growing.

For businesses wanting to get their data straight, SNP Technologies Inc. is ready to help. Our Azure Purview Services make it easy and set you up to win. Want to take control of your data in 2025? Reach out—SNP Technologies Inc. can help make it a strength, not a stress!

Managing Hybrid Identities with Microsoft Azure

Posted on November 4, 2024March 27, 2025 by snp

Today, businesses are becoming a combination of on-premises and cloud applications. Users require access to those applications which are hosted both on-premises and in the cloud. Managing users both on-premises and in the cloud poses challenging scenarios.

Microsoft’s hybrid identity solutions span on-premises and cloud-based capabilities, creating a single user identity for authentication and authorization to all resources, regardless of location or device.

Azure AD Connect integrates any user who is present or being created in an on-premise Active Directory to Azure AD. This means you have a single user identity for accessing resources present on-premise, in Azure, O365 & your SaaS applications.

Business Benefits of Hybrid Identities:

An increase in productivity by providing access anywhere, anytime
Create and manage a single identity for each user across all your data center-based directories, keeping attributes in sync and providing self-service and SSO for users.
Keep resources productive with self-service password reset and group management for both data center and cloud-based directories.
Organizations have complete visibility and control over security and monitoring to help reduce inappropriate user activity and spot irregularities in user behaviors
Enforce strong authentication to sensitive applications and information with conditional access policies and multi-factor authentication.
Federate identities to maintain authentication against the data center-based directory.
Provide SSO access to hundreds of cloud-based applications.

The Three Hybrid Authentication Solutions:

While hybrid identity may seem like a complex issue when it is up and running, it makes accessing data and services both internal and external while collaborating with partners and customers much simpler. To achieve hybrid identity with Azure AD, three authentication methods can be used:

1. Password Hash Synchronization (PHS):

Password hash sync is the simplest way to enable authentication for on-premise AD objects in Azure AD. Users can use their existing on-prem credentials for accessing cloud-based applications on Azure. Active Directory DS stores the password in a hash form which is synced to Azure AD. When a user tries to login to Azure AD, the password is run through a hashing process and the hashed value is matched with the hash value present on Azure AD. If the hash values match, the user is allowed access to the resources.

2. Pass-Through Authentication (PTA):

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Pass-through Authentication allows your users to sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications using the same password. While deploying the Pass-through Authentication solution, lightweight agents are installed on your existing servers. These agents should have access to the on-premise AD domain controllers and outbound access to the internet. Network traffic is encrypted which is limited to authentication requests only.

3. Federation Authentication (AD FS):

With the Federation authentication method, you can federate your on-premises environment with Azure AD and use this federation for authentication and authorization. This sign-in method ensures that all user authentication occurs on-premises. Azure AD redirects the users to Active Directory Federations Services (ADFS) as the authenticated domain configured as a federated domain. The ADFS server authenticates the user with on-premise AD and returns a security token to authenticate with Azure AD. The configuration of this solution is much complex as it would require one or more ADFS Proxy servers, one or more ADFS Servers and SSL certificates for implementations.

Potential Reference Architecture Diagram:

Why SNP?

SNP Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of innovative technology solutions, specializing in harnessing the power of cloud services to drive business transformation. With a focus on delivering comprehensive solutions in AI, ML, and cloud services, SNP Technologies partners with clients across various industries to enhance operational efficiency and achieve their strategic objectives. We combine elements from our ISO certifications and Microsoft specializations as well as the most efficient and innovative technology tools and platforms to help our clients become more agile, more customer, and more operationally efficient. For more information, contact us here.

Modernize your On-premises SQL Server Infrastructure by Utilizing Azure and Azure Data Studio

Posted on October 30, 2023December 27, 2024 by snp

Data estates are becoming increasingly heterogeneous as data grows exponentially and spreads across data centers, edge devices, and multiple public clouds. In addition to the complexity of managing data across different environments, the lack of a unified view of all the assets, security and governance presents an additional challenge.

Leveraging the cloud for your SQL infrastructure has many benefits like cost reduction, driving productivity, accelerating insights and decision-making can make a measurable impact on an organization’s competitiveness, particularly in uncertain times. While infrastructure, servers, networking, etc. all by default are maintained by the cloud provider.

With SQL servers 2008 and 2012 reaching their end-of-life, it is advisable to upgrade them or migrate them to Azure cloud services. Modernizing any version of SQL server to Azure brings up many added benefits, including:

Azure PaaS provides 99.99% availability
Azure IaaS provides 99.95% availability
Extended security updates for 2008, 2012 servers
Backing up SQL Server running in Azure VMs is made easy with Azure Backup, a stream-based, specialized solution. The solution aligns with Azure Backup’s long-term retention, zero infrastructure backup, and central management features.

Tools leveraged

For modernizing the SQL infrastructure, SNP leveraged a variety of tools from Microsoft, such as the following.

The Azure Database Migration Service has been used since the beginning to modernize on-premises SQL servers. Using this tool, you can migrate your data, schema, and objects from multiple sources to Azure at scale, while simplifying, guiding, and automating the process.
Azure Data Studio is one of the newest tools for modernizing SQL infrastructure with an extension of Azure SQL Migration. It’s designed for data professionals who run SQL Server and Azure databases on-premises and in multi cloud environments.

Potential reference architecture diagram

Let’s take a closer look at the architecture, what components are involved and what is being done in Azure Data Studio to migrate or modernize the on-premises SQL infrastructure.

Among the components of Azure data studio are the source to be modernized, the destination where the on-premises SQL must be moved, and the staging layer for the backup files. Backup files are a major component of modernization.

There are various components that are involved in the Azure Data Studio migration or modernization- Source SQL server. The on-premise SQL server which is to be modernized/migrated, Destination Server- The Azure SQL VM to which the on-prem SQL server will be moved, and the staging layer (Storage Account or the Network Share Folder) for the backup files. Backup files are a major component of modernization.

Azure Data Studio and Azure SQL Migration primarily rely on backup files. It uses a full backup of the database as well as transactional log backups. Another important component is the staging layer, where backup files will be stored.

Microsoft Azure Data Studio uses a network share folder, an Azure storage container, or an Azure file. There must be a specific structure or order in which backup files are placed in either of the places. As shown in the below architecture, backup files specific to the Database must be placed in their own folders or containers.

As part of the migration to Azure, Azure Data Studio along with the Azure SQL Migration extension utilizes a technology called Data Migration Service, which is the core technology behind the scenes. It has also been integrated with Azure Data Factory, which runs the pipeline at regular intervals to copy the backup files from the on-prem network share folder to Azure thereby restoring them on the target or restoring them if they are in containers.

When the backup files are in a network share folder, Azure Data Studio uses Self Hosted Integration Run time to establish a connection between on-premises and Azure. After the connection has been established, the Azure Data Studio begins the modernization process leveraging Azure DMS.

Initially, all full and subsequent transactional log backup files of the databases are placed in a specified database folder or database container. Azure Data Studio copies backup files from network share folders to Azure storage containers if the backup files are in a network share folder.

Following this, Azure Data Studio restores them to the target Azure SQL VM or Azure SQL Managed Instance while Azure Data Studio directly restores backup files from the storage account to the Azure target if the backup files are stored in the storage account.

Following the completion of the last log restoration on the target Azure SQL database, we need to cut over the database and bring it online on the target. The databases will be placed in the Restoring mode during the restoration of the backup files, which means that we will not be able to access them until the cutover has been completed.

Your next steps

If you like what you have read so far, let’s move forward together with confidence. We are here to help at every step. Contact SNP’s migration experts.

Microsoft Fabric: Meet your Organizational Goals for Effective Data Management and Analytics

Posted on October 19, 2023March 27, 2025 by snp

In 2023 Microsoft announced major updates to its Azure data platform. While their OpenAI service has been dominating the headlines, questions about Microsoft’s new, comprehensive analytics solution Fabric have been just as central in our customer discussions.

Adoption of a new data analytics platform is no easy feat, with concerns around skilling, tool integration, obsolescence, security and so forth. The concerns and path forward will vary depending on the organization’s circumstances – from those having a legacy SQL Server implementation on-premises to those having an advanced, cloud-native analytics deployment, and everywhere in between. That said, these four high-level questions should be in mind for any organization evaluating the Fabric potential:

Should we consider exploring Microsoft Fabric given our existing data platform maturity and investment?
Which Fabric capabilities would be the most suitable and beneficial for my organization?
How can I preserve my current data platform investment while capitalizing on the advantages offered by Fabric?
What steps are necessary to establish governance and cost management in this new platform?

Before we continue with our recommendations to address these questions, let’s take a few minutes to level-set on what Fabric is and is not.

The Microsoft Fabric Ecosystem

At its core, Fabric is software-as-a-service (SaaS) integrating three Microsoft products: Azure Data Factory, Power BI and the Synapse data platform for an all-in-one suite designed for performance, scalability and ease of use. Underlying Fabric is the OneLake unified data foundation and Azure Purview for persistent data governance.

Source: What is Microsoft Fabric – Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

Facets of the Microsoft Fabric Platform:

Data Engineering: Empowers data engineers to transform and democratize large-scale data through Apache Spark within a lakehouse.
Data Factory: Equips business and technical users with tools for data integration, offering over 300 transformations (including AI-based) via 200+ native connectors while managing data pipelines.
Data Science: Integrates with Azure Machine Learning, enabling data scientists to develop and deploy ML models and leverage SynapseML for scalable ML pipelines.
Data Warehouse: Natively stores data in the open Delta Lake format separate from compute to promote scalability and performance for analytics workloads.
Real-Time Analytics: Facilitates querying and analysis of observational data, including real-time streams, unstructured/semi-structured data, and IoT data.
Power BI: An integral component of Fabric, providing data visualization integrated with Microsoft 365 apps and within Power BI.
Dataflows Gen 2: A new generation of dataflows accelerates authoring with a no-code/low-code experience.

While Fabric is a SaaS offering, it is still a resource installed in an Azure subscription. As such, a landing zone with prerequisite identity, networking, security, and governance must be in place.

While a Fabric analytics solution can be fully composed with Fabric tooling, within the Azure tenant an organization can integrate Fabric with Azure resources that sit outside Fabric, for instance Cosmos DB, Azure AI Services and Azure Monitor.

For more information about Fabric, please see the Resources section at this end of this blog.

Microsoft Fabric Evaluation Criteria

When working with our customers, SNP recommends the high-level success criteria below be evaluated when contemplating Microsoft Fabric as their Data & Analytics platform:

Seamless Integration: Evaluate how Fabric, with external tools, should be achieve data sharing and workflow orchestration without disruption to your established ecosystem.
Improved Efficiency: The true value of any platform lies in its ability to simplify processes. Microsoft Fabric should reduce the time and effort required for data engineering, data science, and analytics tasks. Evaluate how migrating the workloads to Fabric will increase efficiency and productivity across data engineering services and also result in faster time to derive insights in BI apps.
Data Democratization Microsoft Fabric empowers business users and data scientists alike, offering self-service access to data and analytics capabilities. Evaluate how this feature can help in extending the utility of data throughout your organization.
Scalability: As your organization grows, so do your data needs. Evaluate Microsoft Fabric’s ability to scale effectively, accommodating increased workloads without compromising performance.
Cost Optimization: Financial considerations are paramount. Evaluate how Fabric can help in cost reduction, optimized resource utilization, and improved cost management capabilities, when compared to your existing data platform architecture.
Enhanced Data Governance: Data governance is critical, especially in today’s regulatory environment. Evaluate how Fabric facilitates effective enforcement of data governance policies, ensuring data quality, and maintaining compliance standards.
Data Security: With data breaches an ever-present threat, success means strengthening data security and privacy, especially for sensitive or regulated data. Evaluate the Security features of Fabric to over the risks and implement tighter security policies.

Conclusion

In this blog, we’ve explored the evaluation criteria that can guide your organization’s adoption of Microsoft Fabric as your Data & Analytics platform. By keeping these criteria in mind, you can maximize the value of this platform alongside your existing investments, leading to more effective decision-making and a competitive edge in your industry.

Your Next Steps:

If you like what you’ve read so far, let’s move forward together with confidence. SNP recommends the following approach to start understanding, exploring, and evaluating Microsoft Fabric for your business: We’re here to help at every step. Contact SNP’s Data & AI experts here

Modernize and Migrate your SQL Server Workloads with Azure

Posted on October 12, 2023December 27, 2024 by snp

Modernizing and migrating SQL Server is just one of the many reasons why a company might want to migrate its data. Other common reasons may include mergers, hardware upgrades or moving to the cloud. In most cases, however, data migrations are associated with downtime, data loss, operational disruptions, and compatibility problems.

With SNP Technologies Inc., these concerns are alleviated, and the migration process is simplified. We help businesses migrate complete workloads seamlessly through real-time, byte-level replication and orchestration. For enhanced agility with little to no downtime, we can migrate data and systems between physical, virtual and cloud-based platforms.

When it comes to the modernization of SQL Server, we can migrate and upgrade your workload simultaneously. Production sources can be lower versions of SQL Server that are then upgraded to newer versions, for example, SQL 2008, 2008R2, and 2012 can be moved to a newer version of Windows and SQL or to Azure.

Some key benefits of modernizing or migrating your sql workloads include:

Built-in high Availability and disaster recovery for Azure SQL PaaS with 99.99% availability
Automatic backups for Azure SQL PaaS services
High availability with 99.95% for Azure IaaS
Can leverage the azure automatic backups or Azure Backup for SQL Server on Azure VM

Listed below are the various steps SNP follows to migrate an on-premises SQL server to Azure PaaS or IaaS

Assessment to determine what is the most appropriate target and their Azure sizing.
A performance assessment will be conducted before the migration to determine potential issues with the modernization.
A performance assessment will be conducted post-migration to determine if there is any impact on performance.
Migration to the designated target.

As part of our modernization process, we utilize a variety of tools that Microsoft provides. The following are various tools or services we leverage during the modernization process.

Assessment to determine what is the most appropriate target and their Azure sizing with Azure Migrate:

Azure migrate is a service in Azure that uses Azure SQL Assessment to assess the customer’s on-premises SQL infrastructure. In Azure Migrate, all objects on the SQL server are analyzed against the target (whether it’s Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance or SQL Server on Azure VM) and the target is calculated by considering all performance parameters such as IOPS, CPU, Memory, Costing etc., along with the appropriate Azure size. Following the assessment, SNP gets a better idea of what needs to be migrated, while the assessment report recommends the most appropriate migration solution.

This assessment generates four types of reports:

Recommended type (it gives us the best option by comparing all the available options (best fit)– If the SQL server is ready for all the targets, it will give us the best fit considering all the factors like performance, cost, etc
Recommendation of instances to Azure SQL MI– It gives the information If the SQL server is ready for MI. If the SQL server is ready for MI, it gives us a target recommendation size. If the Server has any issues with SQL MI, it shows us all the various issues it has and its corresponding recommendations
Recommendation of Instances to Azure SQL VM– It will assess individual instance and provides us with the suitable configuration specific to individual instance
Recommendation of Servers to SQL Server on Azure VM– If the server is ready to move to the SQL server on Azure, it will give us the appropriate recommendation

Our assessment checks if there are any performance impacts post migration with Microsoft’s data migration assistant

To prepare for modernizing our SQL infrastructure to Azure, we need to know what objects will be impacted post-migration, so we can plan what steps to take post-migration. A second assessment is performed using a Microsoft Data Migration Assistant (DMA) tool to identify all the objects that will be impacted after migration. This tool can be used to determine which objects are going to be impacted post-migration during this phase. The DMA categorizes the objects into five/ four categories for modernizing to SQL Server on Azure VM.

Some key factors considered at this stage include:

Breaking Changes: These are the changes that will impact the performance of a particular object. Following a migration, we will need to ensure that breaking changes are addressed.
Behavior Changes: There are changes that may impact query performance and should be addressed for optimal results.
Informational issues: We can use this information to identify issues that might affect post-migration
Deprecated Feature: These are the features that are going to be deprecated
Migration blockers: These are the objects that are going to block the migration, either we remove them prior to migration or change them as per the business requirements.

Note: Migration blockers are specific to the Modernization of SQL Server to Azure SQL PaaS

Modernization using Azure Data Studio:

Once we have an Azure target along with the Azure size and a list of affected objects, we can move on to modernization, where we migrate our SQL infrastructure to the Azure target. In this phase, the SQL infrastructure is modernized using a tool called Azure Data Studio, which uses an extension called Azure SQL Migration, leveraging Azure Data Migration Service (Azure DMS).

In Azure Data Studio, you will be able to perform a modernization of the SQL server infrastructure by using the Native SQL backups (the latest full back up as well as the transactional log backups from the previous backup). In this method, backup files of SQL server databases are copied and restored on the target. Using Azure Data Studio, we can automate the backup and restore process. All we must do is manually place the backup files into a shared network folder or Azure storage container so that the tool recognizes the backups and restores them automatically.

Post Migration:

Upon completion of modernization, all objects impacted by the modernization should be resolved for optimal performance. DMA provides information regarding all impacted objects and offers recommendations on how to address them.

Your Next Steps:

If you like what you’ve read so far, let’s move forward together with confidence. We’re here to help at every step. Contact SNP’s migration experts here

Legacy Application Modernization with Microsoft Azure

Posted on September 18, 2023March 27, 2025 by snp

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses face constant pressure to innovate and stay competitive. Legacy applications, while valuable, often hinder this progress due to their outdated infrastructure and high maintenance costs. However, there’s a solution that allows businesses of all sizes to revitalize their legacy applications while reducing IT/SDLC expenses with – Microsoft Azure Cloud.

Microsoft Azure, a robust cloud platform, offers a pathway to migrate and modernize legacy applications effectively. In this blog, we’ll explore three common scenarios in which you can leverage Azure to breathe new life into your aging applications.

Three Key Scenarios for Transforming your Outdated Systems:

Scenario 1: Cloud Infrastructure-based Applications (Lift & Shift)

In this scenario, enterprises migrate their existing on-premises applications to Microsoft Azure’s Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform. The core components of the applications remain unchanged, but they find a new home on virtual machines (VMs) in the cloud. This approach, often referred to as “Lift & Shift,” is the ideal choice for businesses looking for a quick migration strategy [Migrate First Modernize Later].

Benefits:

Speedy migration with minimal disruptions.
Reduced infrastructure management overhead.
A stepping stone for future modernization efforts.

Scenario 2: Cloud Optimized Applications

Enterprises can achieve additional benefits without undergoing a significant code overhaul. Azure enables applications to leverage modern cloud technologies such as containers or other cloud-managed services like database as service, App Services etc. These containers can be deployed on either App Service for containers or Kubernetes. There by further optimize the applications with better monitoring integrations, cache as a service, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

Benefits:

Enhanced scalability and agility.
Integration with managed cloud services.
Reduced complexity and improved performance.

Scenario 3: Cloud-Native Applications

Driven by evolving business needs, this scenario targets the modernization of mission-critical applications. Here, Azure’s Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings come into play, facilitating the migration of applications to cloud-native platforms. This approach often involves developing new code, especially when transitioning to cloud-native or microservice-based models.

Benefits:

Harness the full potential of cloud-native capabilities.
Achieve unparalleled scalability and agility.
Streamline development and deployment processes.

Key Business Benefits of Azure Migration:

1. Platform Benefits:

Microsoft Azure provides a comprehensive cloud stack, covering frontend, backend, data, intelligence, Ops, SecOps, and DevOps. It offers a powerful and flexible foundation for both existing and new applications.

2. Security:

Azure prioritizes security with built-in services and intelligent threat management. It ensures the safety of your workloads and data.

3. Fully Managed:

Azure’s built-in auto-scaling, CI/CD, load balancing, and failover capabilities eliminate the need for complex configurations, saving time and resources.

4. Superior Tooling:

Azure offers advanced monitoring, telemetry, and debugging tools, along with seamless integration with popular development platforms like Visual Studio, GitHub, BitBucket, and Azure DevOps.

5. Familiarity:

For businesses using ASP.NET apps, Azure is enterprise-ready and supports your existing knowledge and skills, making the transition smoother.

Conclusion:

Modernizing legacy applications is not just about staying up-to-date; it’s about unlocking new possibilities, reducing costs, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Microsoft Azure’s robust features and flexible migration options empower businesses to transform their legacy systems into agile, high-performance assets that drive innovation and competitiveness in today’s digital landscape.

Are you looking to modernize yours for applications? Our team can help transform your applications to become more agile and efficient. Contact us.

Azure Arc enabled Kubernetes for Hybrid Cloud Management — Manage Everything and Anywhere

Posted on September 5, 2023December 27, 2024 by snp

Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes extends Azure’s management capabilities to Kubernetes clusters running anywhere, whether in public clouds or on-premises data centers. This integration allows customers to leverage Azure features such as Azure Policy, GitOps, Azure Monitor, Microsoft Defender, Azure RBAC, and Azure Machine Learning.

Key features of Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes include:

Centralized Management: Attach and configure Kubernetes clusters from diverse environments in Azure, facilitating a unified management experience.
Governance and Configuration: Apply governance policies and configurations across all clusters to ensure compliance and consistency.
Integrated DevOps: Streamline DevOps practices with integrated tools that enhance collaboration and deployment efficiency.
Inventory and Organization: Organize clusters through inventory, grouping, and tagging for better visibility and management.
Modern Application Deployment: Enable the deployment of modern applications at scale across any environment.

In this blog, we will follow a step by step approach and learn how to:

1. Connect Kubernetes clusters running outside of Azure

2. GitOps – to define applications and cluster configuration in source control

3. Azure Policy for Kubernetes

4. Azure Monitor for containers

1. Connect Kubernetes clusters

Prerequisites

Azure account with an active subscription.
Identity – User or service principal
Latest Azure CLI
Extensions – connectedk8s and k8sconfiguration
An up-and-running Kubernetes cluster
Resource providers – Microsoft.Kubernetes, Microsoft.KubernetesConfiguration, Microsoft.ExtendedLocation

Create a Resource Group

Create a Resource Group using below command in Azure portal choose your desired location. Azure Arc for Kubernetes supports most of the azure regions. Use this page Azure products by region to know the supported regions.

* az group create –name AzureArcRes -l EastUS -o table

For example: az group create –name AzureArcK8sTest –location EastUS –output table

Connect to the cluster with admin access and attach it with Azure Arc

We use az connectedk8s connect cli extension to attach our Kubernetes clusters to Azure Arc.

This command verify the connectivity to our Kubernetes clusters via kube-config (“~/.kube/config”) file and deploy Azure Arc agents to the cluster into the “azure-arc” namespace and installs Helm v3 to the .azure folder.

For this demonstration we connect and attach AWS – Elastic Kubernetes service and Google cloud – Kubernetes engine. Below, we step through the commands used to connect and attach to each cluster.

AWS – EKS

* aws eks –region <Region> update-kubeconfig –name <ClusterName>

* kubectl get nodes

* az connectedk8s connect –name <ClusterName> –resource-group AzureArcRes

GCLOUD- GKE

* gcloud container clusters get-credentials <ClusterName> –zone <ZONE> –project <ProjectID>

* kubectl get no

* az connectedk8s connect –name <ClusterName> –resource-group AzureArcRes

Verify Connected Clusters

* az connectedk8s list -g AzureArcRes -o table

2. Using GitOps to define applications & clusters

We use the connected GKE cluster for our example to deploy a simple application.

Create a configuration to deploy an application to kubernetes cluster.
We use “k8sconfiguration” extension to link our connected cluster to an example git repository provided by SNP.

* export KUBECONFIG=~/.kube/gke-config

* az k8sconfiguration create \

–name app-config \

–cluster-name <ClusterName> –resource-group <YOUR_RG_NAME>\

–operator-instance-name app-config –operator-namespace cluster-config \

–repository-url https://github.com/gousiya573-snp/SourceCode/tree/master/Application \

–scope cluster –cluster-type connectedClusters

Check to see that the namespaces, deployments, and resources have been created:

* kubectl get ns –show-labels

We can see that cluster-config namespace have been created.

* kubectl get po,svc

The flux operator has been deployed to cluster-config namespace, as directed by our sourceControlConfig and application deployed successfully, we can see the pods are Running and Service LoadBalancer IP also created.

Access the EXTERNAL-IP to see the output page:

Please Note:

Supported repository-url Parameters for Public & Private repos:

* Public GitHub Repo – http://github.com/username/repo (or) git://github.com/username/repo

* Private GitHub Repo – https://github.com/username/repo (or) git@github.com:username/repo

* For the Private Repos – flux generates a SSH key and logs the public key as shown below:

For this demonstration we connect and attach AWS – Elastic Kubernetes service and Google cloud – Kubernetes engine. Below, we step through the commands used to connect and attach to each cluster.

3. Azure Policy for Kubernetes

Use Azure Policy to enforce that each Microsoft.Kubernetes/connectedclusters resource or Git-Ops enabled Microsoft.ContainerService/managedClusters resource has specific Microsoft.KubernetesConfiguration/sourceControlConfigurations applied on it.

Assign Policy:

To create the policy navigate to Azure portal and Policy, in the Authoring section select the Definitions.
Click on Initiative definition to create the policy and search for gitops in the Available Definitions, click on Deploy GitOps to Kubernetes clusters policy to add.
Select the subscription in the Definition locations, Give the Policy assignment Name and Description.

Choose the Kubernetes in the existing Category list and scroll-down to fill the Configuration related details of an application.

Select the policy definition and click on Assign option above and set the scope for the assignment. Scope can be Azure resource group level or subscription and complete the other basics steps – Assignment name, Exclusions, remediation etc.

Click on parameters and provide name for the Configuration resource, Operator instance, Operator namespace and set the Operator scope to cluster level or namespace, Operator type is Flux and provide your application github repo url (public or private) in the Repository Url field. Now, additionally pass the Operator parameters such as “–git-branch=master –git-path=manifests –git-user=your-username –git-readonly=false” finally click on Save option and see the policy with the given name is created in the Assignments.

Once the assignment is created the Policy engine will identify all connectedCluster or managedCluster resources that are located within the scope and will apply the sourceControlConfiguration on them.

–git-readonly=false enables the CI/CD for the repo and creates the Auto releases for the commits.

Verify a Policy Assignment

Go to Azure portal and click on connected Cluster resources to check the Compliant Status, Compliant: config-agent was able to successfully configure the cluster and deploy flux without error.

We can see the policy assignment that we created above, and the Compliance state should be Compliant.

4. Azure Monitor for Containers

It provides rich monitoring experience for the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and AKS Engine clusters. This can be enabled for one or more existing deployments of Arc enabled Kubernetes clusters using az cli, azure portal and resource manager.

Create Azure Log Analytics workspace or use an existing one to configure the insights and logs. Use below command to install the extension and configure it to report to the log analytics workspace.

*az k8s-extension create –name azuremonitor-containers –cluster-name <cluster-name> –resource-group <resource-group> –cluster-type connectedClusters –extension-type Microsoft.AzureMonitor.Containers –configuration-settings logAnalyticsWorkspaceResourceID=<armResourceIdOfExistingWorkspace

It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get the health metrics, logs, and insights for the cluster. You can check the status of extension in the Azure portal or through CLI. Extension status should show as “Installed”.

We can also scrape and analyze Prometheus metrics from our cluster.

Clean Up Resources

To delete an extension:

* az k8s-extension delete –name azuremonitor-containers –cluster-type connectedClusters –cluster-name <cluster-name> –resource-group <resource-group-name>

To delete a configuration:

*az k8sconfiguration delete –name ‘<config name>‘ -g ‘<resource group name>‘ –cluster-name ‘<cluster name>‘ –cluster-type connectedClusters

To disconnect a connected cluster:

* az connectedk8s delete –name <cluster-name> –resource-group <resource-group-name>

Conclusion:

This blog provides an overview of Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes, highlighting how SNP assists its customers in setting up Kubernetes clusters with Azure Arc for scalable deployment. It emphasizes the benefits of Azure Arc in managing Kubernetes environments effectively.

SNP offers subscription services to accelerate your Kubernetes journey, enabling the installation of production-grade Kubernetes both on-premises and in Microsoft Azure. For more information or to get assistance from SNP specialists, you can reach out through the provided contact options. Contact SNP specialists here.

Open Source Tools for Automation & Configuration Management

Posted on August 9, 2023March 27, 2025 by snp

DevOps represents a change in IT culture, focusing on rapid IT service delivery through the adoption of agile, lean practices in the context of a development & operations-oriented approach. DevOps emphasizes people, tools and culture while seeking to improve collaboration between operations and development teams.

With all the hype surrounding DevOps, understanding the lingo associated with this technology can be a challenge. Here’s a list of common terms—and definitions—to help you understand DevOps better:

SNP’s DevOps Platforms:

Chef

A configuration management tool and an automation platform for DevOps that revamps infrastructure into simple code. A Chef helps bring all inventory to central place, further automate configuration, deployment, and scaling of servers and applications, regardless of whether the server or application is in the cloud, on-site, or in a hybrid environment. Chef runs in two modes: Client/Server and standalone configuration, and it’s written in the Ruby programming language.

Puppet

An open-source IT automation software that aids management of an infrastructure throughout its lifecycle, from provisioning and configuration to orchestration and reporting. Puppet enables automation, deployment, and scaling of applications in the cloud and on-site, and it follows the Client/Server computing model. It is written in Ruby [programming language].

Salt

A configuration management application that handles remote execution of applications. Its purpose is to provide central system management. Salt provides a dynamic communication bus for infrastructures that can be used for orchestration, remote execution, and configuration management. It’s written in Python.

LXC

A Linux Container (LXC) is an operating system–level virtualization method that allows multiple isolated Linux systems to run as a single host and function as a controller. Virtualization is not provided through virtual machines, but through a virtual environment with a process set and network space. Each isolated system has its own directory structure, network devices, IP addresses, and process table. LXE is fully written in user space and supports bindings in programming languages written in C, Python, Shell, and Lua.

Docker

An application deployment automation tool that resides inside software containers. It helps package an application and its dependencies as a virtual container. Docker is written in Go programming language.

Jenkins

An open-source continuous integration server featuring numerous plugins that support project building and testing. Jenkins monitors a version control system by maintaining a build system, monitoring it for changes, and providing appropriate change notifications. It is written in Java.

Kubernetes

Kubernetes, which is also referred to as K8s, is an open-source platform for automating the deployments, scaling, and management of the container applications. K8s gives freedom of running the opensource platform anywhere, i.e., on-premises, public cloud, private cloud infrastructure, letting you effortlessly shuffle the workloads anywhere based on the business or technical needs.

For more on how DevOps can enable your operations and development teams to collaborate more effectively, Contact SNP Technologies here.