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Microsoft Data Migration Blog
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Release: Data Migration Assistant (DMA) v4.3

Jim_Toland's avatar
Jim_Toland
Iron Contributor
May 17, 2019

Overview

The Data Migration Assistant (DMA) enables you to upgrade to a modern data platform by detecting compatibility issues that can impact database functionality on your new version of SQL Server. The tool recommends performance and reliability improvements for your target environment. DMA allows you to move your schema, data, and uncontained objects from your source server to your target server. DMA replaces all previous versions of the SQL Server Upgrade Advisor (SSUA) and should be used to upgrade most versions of SQL Server (see below for supported versions).

 

What's new in v4.3?

The v4.3 release of DMA provides support for:

  • SKU Recommendations for Azure SQL Database managed instances based on workload assessment.
  • RDS SQL Server as a source for assessments.
  • Agent job assessments for Azure SQL Database managed instance as a target.
  • The ability to ignore certain assessment rules; the list of error codes specified in the 'ignoreErrorCodes' property configured in DMA will not show up in DMA assessment results.
  • Assessment of T-SQL queries in job activity steps and providing appropriate recommendations
  • Extended events assessments (Public Preview).
  • Assessment of Cassandra sources for migration to Azure Cosmos DB migration via the Target Readiness Assessment command line workflow (Private Preview). Customers wishing to participate in the private preview should contact askcosmosdb@microsoft.com to enable this functionality.

In addition, this release of DMA provides improved performance for handling large number of schema objects in databases, as well as bug fixes related to:

  • Procedures compiled with native compilation, in some cases.
  • Complicated database schemas.

 

Supported source and target versions

  • Sources : SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2016, and SQL Server 2017 on Windows.
  • Targets : SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2016, SQL Server 2017 on Windows and Linux, and Azure SQL Database.

 

Installation

You can install the tool from Microsoft Download Center. Run the DataMigrationAssistant.msi file to install the Data Migration Assistant.

 

Resources

Updated May 17, 2019
Version 2.0

10 Comments

  • fmantovani's avatar
    fmantovani
    Copper Contributor
    Jun 27, 2021

    Yes Jim_Toland but the good news is that I also found a solution: I coped the JSON files to another machine and I was able to import them to the DMAWarehouse database.

    So this is definetly and environmental problem.

    But still.... fun fact.... I run:

    • The same DMA Tool with the same version
    • From the same server
    • Targeting the same server
    • But using Azure SQL Database and not MI

    ....and there was no problem. While targeting MI 7 JSON files out of 12 were corrupted.

    No idea why, I will eventually send you the file if you want o have a look at them.

  • fmantovani's avatar
    fmantovani
    Copper Contributor
    Jun 24, 2021

    The problem is still ongoing 

    Error writing results for file C:\Users\***** to database

     

    No problem investigating for Azure SQL Database but the JSON files created: 

    - from the same machine 

    - targeting the same databases 

    generates corrupted files for Managed Instance. 

     

    So strange...

     

  • Jim_Toland's avatar
    Jim_Toland
    Iron Contributor
    Aug 12, 2019

    @Sanjay-9_30, per the release notes and my conversation with the PM for DMA, yes, this should be supported.  Please forward your query to the Data Migration Assistant Feedback alias <dmafeedback@microsoft.com> - this is a better avenue for addressing your question. Thank you!

  • Sanjay_Rathod's avatar
    Sanjay_Rathod
    Copper Contributor
    Aug 10, 2019

    Thanks Jim_Toland for the response

     

    For SQL Agent Jobs - Are you saying if the AZ SQL MI is the target in DMA then it will scan the SQL Agent Jobs?

     

    Well, I already scanned a SQL Server having 100's of SQL Agent Job using DMA with target as Az SQL MI. However, after exporting the DMA output to CSV I am not able to see any ObjectName like SQL Server Agent Jobs.

     

    Thanks,

    Sanjay

     

     

     

     

  • Jim_Toland's avatar
    Jim_Toland
    Iron Contributor
    Aug 09, 2019

    Sanjay_Rathod, DMA v4.3 does support SQL Agent Jobs -  

     

    • Agent job assessments for Azure SQL Database managed instance as a target.
    • Assessment of T-SQL queries in job activity steps and providing appropriate recommendations

    Support for Linked Servers is on our radar but currently in the backlog.  Hope this helps!

     

    Jim Toland

  • Sanjay_Rathod's avatar
    Sanjay_Rathod
    Copper Contributor
    Aug 09, 2019

    Hello Jim_Toland 

     

    Currently DMA does not scans Linked Servers and SQL Agent Jobs

     

    Any plans to include it in future release of DMA?

     

    Thanks,

    Sanjay

  • Jim_Toland's avatar
    Jim_Toland
    Iron Contributor
    May 24, 2019

    jkapernicus, I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing an issue using the latest version of DMA. Please email the Data Migration Assistant Feedback alias <dmafeedback@microsoft.com> and someone will get back to you soon.  Thanks!

  • jkapernicus's avatar
    jkapernicus
    Copper Contributor
    May 24, 2019

    I'm having an issue consuming the json to an Azure SQL Database. I get the following in PowerShell:

    Error writing results for file "****" to database.