Software

Databases

DBAs massively over-provision Oracle to protect themselves: Microsoft

Cloud migrations can therefore be cost-effective, even with Big Red’s nasty licenses


Microsoft thinks it has cracked the code for cost-effective Oracle-to-cloud migrations.

In a white paper released over the weekend, Microsoft argues that there are savings to be had because on-prem Oracle implementations usually over-provision hardware to leave overhead for growth.

Canny database administrators make matters worse, the paper argues, for the following reasons:

Knowing how budgets work, DBAs also expect that there is a considerable chance when the database comes up for a hardware refresh, it will not receive the funds in the budget, forcing the team to run for longer on the original hardware. As such, DBAs tend to pad the original numbers to prepare for this.

But in the cloud – including Azure, natch – users can instead scale only when needed. Microsoft also reckons that "around 85 per cent of Oracle workloads assessed will require a fraction of the vCPU allocated to the on-premises systems."

Which is not to say that moving Oracle to Azure – or any other cloud – will be a walk in the park. Indeed, the new white paper runs to 34 pages of explanation, analysis, and process.

On its fourth page, Microsoft points out that "Oracle does not appear to make it easy to migrate anywhere but Oracle Cloud" and notes that the first obstacle Big Red places in the path of would-be movers is a punitive licensing scheme that counts "two vCPUs as equivalent to one Oracle Processor license if multithreading of processor cores is enabled, and one vCPU as equivalent to one Oracle Processor license if multi-threading of processor cores is not enabled."

But as the paper unfurls, Microsoft suggests its memory-optimized D, E and M series instance types will get the job done – along with plenty of other Azure services.

Microsoft's even been decent enough to add a few caveats about items like Oracle's recovery manager – a popular Big Red backup tool – often stressing networks and CPUs, and the complexity of applications built around Oracle's database meaning a certain degree of difficulty is unavoidable. The Beast of Redmond has also admitted that Azure's vanilla solid state disks can't cut it – you'll need both the Premium SSD service at a bare minimum, plus Premium SSD with Ultra disk support for redo logs, and probably Azure NetApp Files once you scale.

Cheap, this is not.

One thing the paper omits is whether all the work it describes will see an Azure-based Oracle rig beat the price that Oracle can offer in its own cloud.

But by the time you've migrated, and tried to assess the costs avoided, would anyone be able to tell? ®

Bootnote We've saved a copy of the white paper here [PDF] in case Microsoft moves it.

Send us news
33 Comments

Is Microsoft's AI Copilot? CoPilot? Co-pilot? MVP creates site to help get it right

When you say 'team' do you mean 'Teams' or a SharePoint 'team site'? Letmecorrectthatforyou.com explains the difference

Microsoft accuses Google of creating a lobbying front called 'Open Cloud Coalition'

Seemingly dissatisfied with CISPE settlement, new UK-centric cloudy industry group calls for end to 'restrictive licensing'

Microsoft reshuffles execs in Europe, Middle East and Africa unit

UK CEO becomes EMEA president after taking on role in Brit industrial strategy

Microsoft's Arm-based Cobalt 100 CPU now live and powering Azure VMs

For general-purpose and memory-optimized workloads

Microsoft says its Copilot AI agents set to tackle employee tasks in November

Let bots manage your supply chain? What could possibly go wrong?

Putin's pro-Trump trolls accuse Harris of poaching rhinos

Plus: Iran's IRGC probes election-related websites in swing states

Clock's ticking on PostgreSQL 12, but not everyone is ready to say goodbye

11% of databases still on aging version with a month of support left

Productivity suites, Exchange servers in path of Microsoft's end-of-support wave

Less than a year to go – is your enterprise ready for the change?

Ransomware's ripple effect felt across ERs as patient care suffers

389 US healthcare orgs infected this year alone

Western Digital wasn't the only one - Windows 24H2 update bluescreens Asus systems

Microsoft blocks updates to avoid giving admins another headache

Want to feel old? Excel just entered its 40th year

More senior than Windows itself, and still runs the world

macOS HM Surf vuln might already be under exploit by major malware family

Like keeping your camera and microphone private? Patch up