DH2i is partnering with SUSE, a global leader in innovative, reliable and secure enterprise-grade open source solutions, to offer the simplest route to Microsoft SQL Server container modernization. By combining DH2i's DxEnterprise Smart High Availability Clustering software with Rancher by SUSE, organizations can seamlessly migrate both physical and virtual SQL Server databases to availability groups in Kubernetes within minutes. This collaboration empowers businesses to modernize their SQL Server environment, resulting in accelerated application deployment, optimized resource utilization, and substantial cost savings on infrastructure and management expenses. 

SQL Server often houses an organization's most crucial data assets, making maximum uptime and security vital concerns for IT teams. These stringent requirements make the task of modernizing SQL Server especially trying, and the thought of containers in production SQL Server environments totally inconceivable. However, DH2i and SUSE have flipped the paradigm on its head and helped ensure that you can achieve near-zero downtime and Zero Trust security for even the most mission-critical SQL Server environments in containers.

DH2i's DxEnterprise software, in conjunction with Rancher by SUSE, offers organizations the opportunity to leverage the benefits of containerization for SQL Server modernization. This powerful combination allows for swift and efficient migration of both physical and virtual SQL Server databases to availability groups in Kubernetes. By harnessing these technologies, organizations can achieve faster, more streamlined, and cost-effective modernization of their SQL Server environments.

"As we partnered with SUSE, we aimed to create a solution stack that revolutionizes SQL Server modernization. DxEnterprise and Rancher deliver a simplified and efficient approach, offering unparalleled cluster flexibility and capability. Our solution enables clustering for native instances and containers within the same Availability Group, supports mixed Windows and Linux clusters and AGs, and provides sidecar container deployment for clusterware and application isolation," said Don Boxley, CEO and Co-Founder, DH2i. "Together, DH2i and SUSE bring a uniquely powerful SQL Server modernization solution to the table."

To make deployment and migration even easier, Rancher by SUSE offers a streamlined web interface to deploy highly available SQL Server AGs in Kubernetes using a Helm chart. This makes a complex deployment achievable in only a few clicks with a single line of code. Once deployed, DxE can easily pull instances and containers into the same cluster and Availability Group and easily facilitate migration using database mirroring.

Use-Case: Migrating a Database from a Windows Virtual Machine to Kubernetes

The value of containers for modernizing SQL Server is widely recognized across industries. DH2i serves a diverse range of global customers, including those in financial services, manufacturing, legal, government, and more. A common trend among these customers is their transition from predominantly virtualized environments to containerization as part of their modernization journey.

Watch this use-case in action with a short video demonstration detailing the migration of a SQL Server database from a standalone Windows virtual machine to a Kubernetes container environment at the following link: https://dh2i.com/modernize-from-vm-to-containers-demo-dh2i/

"Modernizing SQL Server with containers is a strategic step towards future-proofing your organization and gaining a competitive edge," said David Landry, SUSE director of Technology Partners. "DH2i's DxEnterprise and Rancher by SUSE offer the most streamlined SQL Server modernization process to date. Leveraging Rancher's user-friendly interface for deploying Helm charts and DxEnterprise's flexible clustering capabilities, organizations can effortlessly migrate any SQL Server database, be it Windows or Linux, to Kubernetes in a matter of minutes."