Business Central – The Cloud Data Migration Tool
Business Central – The Cloud Data Migration Tool
The Cloud Data Migration Tool
Customers running their workloads on-premises can migrate to Business Central online by running the cloud migration tool; the same tool can also be used to set up a connection to the intelligent cloud but still remain on-premises.
“Data Migration Tool” page link https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migration-tool
HOW SYSTEM WORKS
ASSISTED SETUP – PAGES & STEPS TO MIGRATE ON CLOUD!
The assisted setup guide consists of pages that take you through the process of connecting your solution to the Business Central cloud tenant.
ASSISTED SETUP
Product selection
On this page, specify the on-premises solution that you want to replicate data from. All supported sources will appear in the list. If you don’t see your product, navigate to the Manage Extensions page, and then verify that the intelligent cloud extension for your on-premises solution is installed.
SQL Connection
If the product you selected requires a SQL connection, this page will be presented. Other source applications may require different information to connect to them. This page will display the connection information based on the product that you specified in the previous page. This is defined from the installed extensions for the product you have selected.
Self-Hosted Integration Runtime (SHIR)
This is the service will allow access to the Azure replication services to your on-premises SQL Database during the migration process. Follow the instructions on this page to install the Self-Hosted Integration Service (SHIR) to a local machine.
Companies Selection
You will be provided with a list of companies from your on-premises solution, or source. Select the companies you would like to migrate data for. If the company does not exist in your Business Central tenant, it will be automatically created for you.
Enable & Scheduling Migration
The final page in the wizard allows you to enable the migration process and create a schedule for when the data migration should occur. These settings are also available within your Business Central tenant on the Cloud Migration Management page. You have the option to schedule migrations daily or weekly. We recommend that you schedule your data migration for off-peak business hours.
Let’s start from “ASSISTED SETUP”
Open “SET UP CLOUD MIGRATION”
Cloud Data Migration Setup
Choose Business Central Release (16 or 15) – (Current or Previous)
Define:
- SQL Server (or SQL Azure) database connection string
- An Integration Runtime Name
You can define a new Integration Runtime Name (if you don’t already have one)
SQL Server- SQL Azure Connection String sample
Server=SERVER\INSTANCE;Database=DATABASENAME;UserID=xx ;Password=xxxxx;
Pay attention to:
- TCP Network Active (activate all network interfaces if you have connection problems), check TCP Ports
- Check Firewall and rules (or disable firewall)
- Check for SQL Named Instance, use “\\” (double slash) separator “to avoid escape error on Json”
…and Test always connection!
…Now assign an Active Integration Runtime Name
Integration Runtime Name Example
A name like this “msweua6461tf89X8X7”
System requirements – check for these:
To connect to the cloud through Business Central, the on-premises solution must use SQL Server 2016 or a later version, and the database must have compatibility level 130 or higher. Sql Server data compression available for Business Central v16 demo database.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO
- SQL SERVER 2016SP1 (with data compression available)
- DEMO DATABASE BC (16-0)
Check Database Property (upgrade to 130)
Download Azure Data Factory Integration Runtime
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39717
Configure Integration Runtime
SQL NAMED ISTANCE CONNECTION TEST
YOU ARE READY TO LAUCH CLOUD DATA MIGRATION
SELECT COMPANIES TO MIGRATE (OR MIGRATE ALL COMPANIES)
CLOUD MIGRATION MANAGEMENT
RUN MIGRATION NOW
OR SCHEDULE DATA REPLICATION
RESULTS
ALL MICROSOFT LINKS ABOUT THIS TOPIC
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/administration/migrate-data
FAQ
I think there should be a space in between User and ID in the connection string. EG
Server=SERVER\INSTANCE;Database=DATABASENAME;User ID=xx ;Password=xxxxx;
Not
Server=SERVER\INSTANCE;Database=DATABASENAME;UserID=xx ;Password=xxxxx;
I also found testing the connection in Integration Runtime Configuration Manager needed the double \\ between the hostname and instance, but not when you are actually writing the connection string.
Hi Roberto,
Thnaks for your post as always. I have one siomple question. Once de integretion runtime is ready, and made one migration, is there any way to “restart2 it, and setup a new configuration? I don’t inde the way….
Thank you again!
Hello Roberto
Great post.
Where can I find the Integration Runtime Name? I have followed yor explanation about that but I am get an error in the BC Data Migration Setup when I inform the Integration Runtime Name.
If I left this field blank (as shown in the officel guide ) I get the error “Failed to create your integration runtime.”. If I inform a random name (as in your explanation) I get a different error: “There is insufficient memory to execute this function. This can be caused by recursive function calls. Contact your system administrator.”.
Where can I find this name? I don’t have any integration runtime created before. I have installed the integration runtime shelf-hosted.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Iñaki,
I have the same problem as you. I worked with this feature one ocassion in the past without any problem, but now I have the same problem.
Could you fix it?.
Thanks in advance.
Hello Álvaro
I didn’t do anything special bur after two or three days without doing anything it worked. The only thing I did was reboot the server where the onpremise database was located.
May be in theese days the SaaS version was upgraded (and solved the problem) but I left the “Integration Runtime Name” field blanked and the process went on without any problem. The onpremise version was 17.4 and (I think) Saas version was 17.5.
Sorry not to help more.
Hi Iñaki,
Thanks for your reply. I rebooted the server where the onpremise database was located without success.
It’s strange because with 17.4 (I think) Saas version the process worked. I thought it could be because of the update to version 17.5 of Saas.
I fill the “Integration Runtime Name” because I already have an instance installed but if I leave the field empty I also get an error.
I will keep triying.
Thanks.
Hi Roberto,
Great post about the On Prem migration to Cloud. We are currently doing some tests for moving to a SaaS environment one of our customers, and we are having some issue: the attachment existing attachment documents are not migrated to the SaaS Business Central. Have you faced this issue?
Thanks in advance,
Eneko.