SQL Server Migration Readiness Checklist

Work through the items with the people who own the application, not only with the database. Record the answer and the evidence. A blank answer is a reason to pause, not a reason to assume the item does not apply.

Version and inventory

• Current SQL Server version, edition, cumulative update and service pack
• Target version, edition and whether the target is a virtual machine, Azure SQL or Amazon RDS
• Every user database, its size, recovery model and compatibility level
• System databases that hold jobs, logins or custom objects you still need
• Instances that replicate, log-ship or participate in an availability group

Jobs, security and dependencies

• SQL Server Agent jobs, schedules, operators and alerts
• Logins, server roles and database users, including orphaned users
• Linked servers, credentials and the endpoints they call
• SSIS packages, catalog projects and the SQL Server version they were built for
• SSRS reports, shared data sources and subscriptions
• Application connection strings, drivers and features that change between versions

Backup, availability and performance

• A backup that has been restored, not only a backup job that reports success
• High availability and disaster recovery design on the target, including how clients find the new instance
• A rollback path that is still possible after the application starts writing to the new database
• A performance comparison for the queries and jobs the business actually runs
• Disk, memory and CPU on the target sized from current usage, not from the old server's purchase order

Cutover

• Who decides go or no-go, and what measurement they will use
• The downtime window the business accepted, and a rehearsal that fit inside it
• The order of jobs, packages and application servers on the night of the move
• How long the old instance stays available, and who is allowed to change it

The service behind this list is described on database migration services and SQL Server migration.