Azure Database Migration Service: Features and Pricing

Azure Database Migration Service: Features and Pricing

Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) is a fully managed Azure tool for migrating SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Oracle databases to Azure with minimal downtime. It supports both offline and online migration modes. EPC Group uses DMS for enterprise database migrations with HIPAA, SOC 2, and FedRAMP compliance. 29 years of Microsoft experience. 10,000+ deployments.

Key facts

• Azure DMS is a fully managed migration service — no infrastructure to provision.
• Supports offline migrations (planned downtime) and online migrations (continuous replication, minimal cutover).
• Source databases: SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, and more.
• Target services: Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, Azure Database for MySQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, Azure Cosmos DB.
• Pricing: Free tier for Standard SKU migrations. Premium SKU required for online migrations.
• EPC Group: 29 years Microsoft consulting, 10,000+ enterprise deployments.

What is Azure Database Migration Service?

Azure Database Migration Service is a fully managed cloud service. It migrates databases from on-premises or other cloud platforms to Azure.

DMS provides assessment tools, guided migration workflows, and continuous data replication. It is designed for mission-critical databases that cannot afford extended outages.

Migration Modes: Offline vs. Online

DMS supports two migration modes. The right choice depends on your database's tolerance for downtime:

• Offline migration — One-time data copy. Requires a planned maintenance window with downtime. Best for non-critical databases or when a maintenance window is available.
• Online migration — Continuous replication with a minimal cutover window. Best for production databases that cannot tolerate extended outages.

Supported Source and Target Databases

DMS covers the most common enterprise database migration scenarios:

Supported sources

• SQL Server (on-premises, RDS for SQL Server)
• MySQL (on-premises, RDS for MySQL)
• PostgreSQL (on-premises, RDS for PostgreSQL)
• MongoDB (on-premises, Atlas)
• Oracle (on-premises)

Supported targets

• Azure SQL Database
• Azure SQL Managed Instance
• Azure Database for MySQL (Flexible Server)
• Azure Database for PostgreSQL (Flexible Server)
• Azure Cosmos DB (for MongoDB API migrations)

Key Features

• Database Assessment Tool — Identifies compatibility issues and breaking changes before migration starts.
• Schema migration — Migrates tables, views, stored procedures, and indexes automatically.
• Data replication — Continuous change data capture (CDC) keeps target in sync during online migrations.
• Cutover orchestration — DMS manages the final cutover step to minimize downtime to minutes.
• Azure portal integration — Wizard-based setup with progress monitoring and error reporting.
• Private endpoint support — Keep migration traffic off the public internet using Azure Private Link.

Azure Database Migration Service Pricing

DMS has a free tier and a premium paid tier. The right tier depends on whether you need online (continuous replication) migrations:

• Standard SKU (free) — Offline migrations only. No cost beyond Azure compute and storage.
• Premium SKU — Required for online migrations. Priced per vCore per hour. Check the Azure pricing calculator for current rates based on vCore count and duration.

EPC Group includes DMS cost estimation in every database migration engagement. We scope the SKU and duration based on your database size and acceptable downtime window.

EPC Group Database Migration Consulting

EPC Group delivers end-to-end database migration on Azure for enterprise clients. Our process:

• Assessment — Identify all databases in scope, assess compatibility, and flag breaking changes.
• Architecture design — Select target Azure database service, SKU, HA configuration, and connectivity model.
• Migration execution — Run DMS migrations in waves. Online mode for production. Offline mode for dev/test.
• Validation — Application testing against Azure target before cutover sign-off.
• Compliance — HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and GDPR controls confirmed at the database layer before go-live.

Frequently asked questions

What databases does Azure Database Migration Service support?

DMS supports SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Oracle as source databases. Targets include Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, Azure Database for MySQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, and Azure Cosmos DB.

What is the difference between offline and online migration?

Offline migration copies data once during a planned downtime window. Online migration uses continuous replication so the target stays in sync with the source, reducing the cutover window to minutes. Online migration requires the DMS Premium SKU.

Is Azure Database Migration Service free?

The Standard SKU (offline migrations only) is free. The Premium SKU, required for online migrations, is priced per vCore per hour. EPC Group provides cost estimates based on your migration scope during the discovery call.

How long does a database migration to Azure take?

Small databases (under 100 GB) typically migrate in hours. Large enterprise databases (1 TB+) may take several days in online mode. EPC Group scopes migration timelines after the assessment phase, which takes 1–2 weeks.

Does EPC Group handle compliance during database migrations?

Yes. We configure HIPAA, SOC 2, FedRAMP, and GDPR controls at the database layer before go-live. This includes encryption at rest and in transit, audit logging, private endpoints, and access controls via Azure Entra ID.

Start your database migration

Talk to an EPC Group database architect about your SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle migration to Azure. Call (888) 381-9725 or request a 30-minute discovery call.