Technology decisions are never just about technology. They define how resilient a business can be, how fast it can move and how much trust it earns. At the heart of it all sits SQL Server. It runs daily operations, holds the record of what the business has done and keeps compliance in check. However, in a world where hybrid and multi-cloud strategies are the standard, SQL Server cannot stand still.
In this recent webinar (watch it below), “HITS in the cloud: elevate your SQL Server strategy with Azure Arc” – hosted by Altron Digital Business and Microsoft South Africa – these challenges were addressed head-on.
The session focused on practical ways to modernise SQL Server without sacrificing control or security. The host, Pieter le Roux, technical pre-sales lead at Altron Digital Business, said plainly: “Our focus this morning is going to be more on the SQL side.” That focus drove a discussion on how organisations can modernise, monitor and secure their SQL estates efficiently.
Azure Arc in practice
Azure Arc is more than a management tool. As Le Roux explained, “it allows us to do a range of actions: monitoring, deploy tools, manage updates around this. It integrates into the Copilot for Azure that allows us to create dashboards to get insights around what’s happening in our environment.” The platform extends Azure capabilities beyond the cloud, integrating on-premises servers, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and edge devices into a single pane of glass.
For legacy systems, the impact is immediate. “If you have all the technologies, such as SQL Server 2012 that is now out of support, how do I bring those back into support? If they’re on-prem, how do I migrate them? How do I modernise them?” Azure Arc answers these questions. Extended security updates, centralised monitoring, and governance policies bring older versions of SQL into compliance while preparing them for modernisation.
Governance and compliance
Centralised management was a theme throughout the webinar. “Centralised agent management, one point to deploy from so that we can monitor – we can do the management, we can do the security, and we can manage the updates around it,” Le Roux said. From this single point, organisations can apply governance frameworks and compliance standards. GDPR, Popia, CIS, NIST and even ISO 27001 – all can be enforced across environments.
“When we enforce the standards, it means that when I build new service, when I bring new servers in, they have to adhere, at minimum, to those standards. So, the governance ring-fence becomes very secure.” Role-based access controls define who can view, change or own resources, whether on-premises, in another cloud or in Microsoft Azure. Compliance becomes automated, auditable and consistent.
Watch the full webinar now
Business continuity and modernisation
Azure Arc transforms modernisation into a structured process. As Le Roux puts it: “With SQL, we know that there are many flavours, shapes and versions. Some of those we are currently maintaining because we have applications that are dependent on a particular version of SQL, or there is a prohibiting reason why we cannot upgrade.”
Legacy systems are still supported. Assessments determine readiness for cloud migration. Cutovers, transformations and migrations can happen with speed and confidence. “The advantage that we have by using the Arc tool is that it will allow us to do the assessment and to look at readiness. Can this SQL version and this database be migrated to cloud?” The result is scalability, flexibility and modernisation without any disruption to operations.
Even licensing becomes flexible. Perpetual SQL licences can be converted to pay-as-you-go models. “If I reclassify my SQL licence using Arc, and I reclassify it from a perpetual licence to a pay-as-you-go licence, I pay only when I use it and what I actually use. If I switch my development server off because I’m not using it, 24/7/365, it means I’m not consuming that licence when I’m not using it effectively.” Cost, utilisation and efficiency become aligned.
Observability and automation
Observability, Le Roux added, is central to modern SQL management. Azure Arc allows administrators to see their full SQL estate from one portal. From there, they can monitor performance, track updates and apply best practices. Workbooks and dashboards arm them with real-time insights, and integration with service desks facilitates automated ticketing, remediation and reporting.
“Copilot allows us to use the large language model to ask simple questions around our environment: what’s the maximum utilization; how much storage am I using?” Data becomes actionable. Issues are flagged before they escalate. Governance and modernisation operate in parallel.
The HITS framework
The HITS framework (Highly Available, Innovative, Transformative, Secure) frames the webinar’s approach. It structures modernisation with clarity and purpose. “Whatever we move into the cloud should follow those four principles,” Le Roux said. The framework makes sure that SQL estates are governed, secure and observable. Modernisation becomes purposeful, risk is controlled and innovation is quickened.
For South African businesses, Azure Arc addresses uniquely local challenges. Regulatory compliance, infrastructure constraints and cost pressures can see modernisation efforts grind to a halt. Arc allows entities to balance local realities with global best practices. Legacy SQL servers can remain compliant, and cloud adoption becomes structured and easily managed.
Modernisation is achievable
The webinar showed that with the right tools, SQL Server modernisation is achievable, measurable and strategic. By using Azure Arc and the HITS framework, firms in every industry can unify management, enforce governance, and accelerate transformation. Legacy systems are not excluded, compliance is automated and costs can be better controlled.
He described how Azure Arc turns SQL estates from operational liabilities into real assets. “We can modernise, migrate and transform our SQL environments quickly and efficiently.” Observability, performance and compliance converge. Modernisation is no longer an abstract goal, but a practical, achievable and essential step for businesses that need to move into the future with confidence, he said.
About Altron Digital Business
At Altron Digital Business, we understand that embarking on your Azure Arc SQL modernisation journey can be complex. That’s why we offer expert guidance to help you assess eligibility for licensing reclassification, ensuring your SQL environments are set up for seamless transitions and compliance. Our team supports you in configuring robust governance and compliance frameworks, clarifying operational responsibilities and addressing feature limitations unique to Arc-enabled SQL Managed Instances. We share proven best practices for automating compliance and optimising costs, so you can confidently align your SQL estate with actual usage and regulatory standards.
Beyond SQL modernisation, Altron Digital Business’s deep expertise in Azure Arc and hybrid cloud architectures empowers you to build a truly unified, centrally managed infrastructure – spanning on-premises environments and Microsoft Azure as well as other leading cloud platforms. We help you integrate legacy systems, enforce consistent security and compliance standards, and unlock actionable insights across all your data estates. With Altron as your strategic partner, you gain the assurance that your modernisation efforts will be secure, measurable and tailored to unlock the full potential of cloud innovation for your business – no matter where your data resides. Learn more at digitalbusiness.altron.com.
- Read more articles by Altron Digital Business on TechCentral
- This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned
