Microsoft Encourages Oracle Migrations to SQL Server 2014 -- Visual Studio Magazine

Data Driverby David Ramel

Microsoft Encourages Oracle Migrations to SQL Server 2014

Microsoft yesterday unveiled an updated SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) to ease moving existing Oracle databases to SQL Server 2014.

It's the latest back-and-forth effort between the two companies to help users of competitors' RDBMS products switch to each company's own offering.

The free SSMA tool was announced on the TechNet SQL Server Blog.

"Available now, the SSMA version 6.0 for Oracle databases greatly simplifies the database migration process from Oracle databases to SQL Server," Microsoft said. "SSMA automates all aspects of migration including migration assessment analysis, schema and SQL statement conversion, data migration as well as migration testing to reduce cost and reduce risk of database migration projects."

SQL Server 2014 -- officially released in April -- features a new, much-publicized in-memory OLTP capability, and the new SSMA for Oracle can automatically move Oracle tables into SQL Server 2014 in-memory tables. Microsoft said SSMA can process up to 10,000 Oracle objects in one migration and boasts increased performance and report generation.

The new tool supports migrations of Oracle 9i databases and later to SQL Server 2005 editions and later. It's now available for download.

In addition to the in-memory OLTP capability, SQL Server 2014 features in-memory columnstore to boost query performance and hybrid cloud-related features such as the ability to back up to the cloud directly from SQL Server Management Studio. Microsoft also touted its ability to use the Microsoft Azure cloud as a disaster recovery site using SQL Server 2014 AlwaysOn. SQL Server 2014 is available for evaluation.

Oracle: your turn.

Posted by David Ramel on 07/25/2014

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