Azure Arc now offers cost-smart, simplified SQL Server migration planning

Microsoft has rolled out a redesigned continuous migration assessment tool for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc. The new experience is now generally available and brings a more streamlined, pricing-aware approach to cloud migration.

One of the standout additions is retail pricing visibility across all Azure savings options, including Hybrid Benefit and Reserved Instances. Now, users get cost estimates precomputed for all configurations, split clearly between compute and storage.

The assessments are standardized in USD using West US region pricing, making side-by-side comparisons easier. Also new is a revamped interface with strategic recommendations built right into the single-instance views.

It’s now possible to tweak savings preferences directly in the portal and see pricing adjust instantly without manual calculations. For IT teams planning to move SQL workloads to Azure SQL Database, Managed Instance, or VMs, this update eliminates a lot of manual prep.

Instead of juggling spreadsheets and pricing calculators, users can now explore configurations, costs, and migration strategies all in one place.