Currently, Microsoft is turning the crank on its SQL Server 2016 launch machine by going after Oracle database users with a migration offer.
Image Source: microsoft.com
On March 10, the day the company held a two-hour virtual data-focused event, Microsoft stressed a new SQL Server Migration Offer as part of its collateral.
As per the downloadable datasheet on this deal, users will be able to gain some unspecified number of “free SQL Server licenses” – Software Assurance subscription required, along with free training and subsidized deployment services in order to kick start their Oracle to SQL Server 2016 migrations.
Microsoft on its official blog states,
“MIGRATE NOW AND REALIZE GREATER VALUE
Break free from expensive data solutions with mysterious, frustrating pricing plans and surprise add-ons. With SQL Server, you get breakthrough in-memory performance across all workloads, mission critical high availability, and business intelligence and advanced analytics tools—all in one package.
This offer includes support services to kick-start your migration, and access to our SQL Server Essentials for the Oracle Database Administrator training. Dive into key features of SQL Server through hands-on labs and instructor-led demos, and learn how to deploy your applications—on-premises or in the cloud.”
The SQL Server 2016, which is at the moment in almost the final Release Candidate stage of testing, includes several high-end features, which include online transaction processing, in-memory data warehousing, in database analytics and built-in security features. Microsoft has yet not announced officially when SQL Server 2016 will generally be available.
The Migration offer notes that users will need to enroll in a new Server Cloud Enrollment (SCE) licensing plan or renew their existing plan, which has a minimal requirement of 50 cores, and it also requires an entire SQL Server installation in order to carry the Software Assurance coverage. The training and services on offer are only available through June 30, 2016.
Earlier this week, Microsoft had announced that it is in the middle of bringing the core SQL Server relational database components, but not all features that are in
