Run cloud migration setup for Dynamics SL migration
This article explains how to run the Cloud Migration Setup guide to configure the components and connection for migrating data from a Business Central on-premises database to a Business Central online environment. Learn more in Cloud migration setup overview.
This article explains how to run the Cloud Migration Setup guide to configure the components and connection for migrating data from a Business Central on-premises database to a Business Central online environment. For more details, see Cloud migration setup overview.
Learn more in Dynamics SL migration to Business Central online: End-to-end overview.
About delegated administrators
Any user running the cloud migration setup flow as a delegated administrator must get approval from a licensed user to run the cloud migration. The licensed user must have an Essentials or the Premium license and SUPER permissions. In this case, the Cloud Migration Setup assisted setup guide displays an extra step, where the delegated administrator can copy the autogenerated approval link and send it to the licensed user for approval. Once the licensed user approves the request, the delegated administrator can continue with the setup of the cloud migration and perform all other steps required to complete that process. The licensed user can always revoke the permission to run the migration by choosing the same approval link that was shared by the delegated administrator, or from the Cloud Migration Approval page.
Prepare
Review Check Prerequisites and make sure the environments meet the requirements.
Important
Don't set up cloud migration for a production environment that's already in use for business. You risk that the migration process overwrites data that's needed to run the business. Even if your migration targets a different company in that environment, you risk that the upgrade overwrites data that's shared across companies in the target environment.
If there are users already in your Business Central online environment and you want them to work as usual during cloud migration, learn more in Retain permissions.
Tip
We recommend that you start the migration by running the assisted setup from a company other than the company to which you are migrating data. For example, sign into the demonstration company, CRONUS, and start the process there. This way, you can make sure that all users are logged out of the original company and the target company.
Be aware of the storage capacity of your online tenant. If you need more than the default 80 GB, you can buy additional environments or storage capacity. Storage capacity is determined as 80GB + allowances per licensed Essential/Premium user + any storage capacity licenses. Learn more in Managing Capacity.
Run the cloud migration setup
Sign in to the Microsoft 365 tenant used by Business Central online.
The person who sets up and runs the cloud migration must be signed in as an administrator of the Microsoft Entra (Microsoft 365) tenant and Business Central online.
Sign in to Business Central online and open the environment to which you're migrating the data.
From the Settings page, select the Assisted Setup option.
From the Assisted Setup page, select Set up Cloud Migration.
Read the information on the page and provided links. If you consent, switch on I accept warning & privacy notice, then select Next.
Set Product option to the version that matches the on-premises product that you're migrating, then select Next.
On the Define your SQL database connection page, fill in the information about the SQL database connection and integration runtime.
For more information about this step, see Define your SQL database connection.
Select Next when done. Once you choose Next, a new pipeline is created in the Azure service.
After the pipeline is created, the Select companies to migrate page appears. Select one or more companies from the list or switch on All Companies, then select Next.
When completed successfully, the SL Company Migration Configuration page appears. This page allows you to make global settings for the companies selected for migration in the previous step.
Select the companies that you want to migrate and then select Next.
If you want to add or remove companies later, you can return to this page. For more information about using this page, see Configure Dynamics SL company data migration.
Select Finish to complete the cloud migration setup.
To open Cloud Migration Management and run the migration, select Yes.
Define SQL database connection and integration runtime
If your product requires an SQL connection, the Define your SQL database connection page appears during the Cloud Migration Setup. Other source applications might need different connection information. The Define your SQL database connection page shows the connection information based on the product you specified on the Choose your product page. The information comes from the installed extensions for the selected product. The following list provides more details about the fields in this part of the setup guide.
SQL connection
Specify SQL Server if the database is installed locally on an SQL Server instance.
SQL connection string
Enter the connection string to your SQL Server, including the server name, instance name, database name, and user account.
For example,
Server=MyServer\BCDEMO;Database=GpDb;User Id=MySQLAccount;Password=MyPassWord;. The following snippets illustrate a couple of connection strings with different formats for an SQL Server database:Server={Server Name\Instance Name};Initial Catalog={Database Name};UserID={SQL Authenticated UserName};Password={SQL Authenticated Password};Server={Server Name\Instance Name};Database={Database Name};User Id={SQL Server Authenticated UserName};Password={SQL Server Authenticated Password};Important
In the second connection string format, don't forget to add the space in User Id parameter as it's mandatory and can throw an error if it's missing.
For a Business Central database hosted on Azure SQL Database, a connection string typically looks like this:
Server=tcp:{ServerName}.database.windows.net,1433;Initial Catalog={DatabaseName};Persist Security Info=False;User ID={SQLUserName};Password={SQLUserPassword};MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=False;Connection Timeout=30;For more information about connection strings, see the SQL Server blog.
The SQL connection string is passed to Azure Data Factory (ADF). From there, it's encrypted and delivered to your Self-Hosted Integration Runtime and used to communicate with your SQL Server instance during the data migration process.
Integration runtime name
When the SQL connection is set to SQL Server, specify the self-hosted Microsoft integration runtime instance to replicate the data from the defined source to Business Central online. The integration runtime must run on the machine that holds the SQL Server database.
If you already have an integration runtime service instance, you can use the instance by entering its name in the Integration Runtime Name box. Then, select Next to continue Cloud Migration Setup assisted setup.
If you don't have an existing integration runtime service instance, leave the Integration runtime name field empty, then select Next to download and install the self-hosted runtime.
Download and install the self-hosted runtime
A new page appears from where you can download the self-hosted integration runtime that you must install. Follow the instructions on the page.
Select Download the Self-hosted Integration Runtime to go to the Microsoft Download Center.
On the Download Center, select Download > IntegrationRuntime_<latestversion>.msi > Next.
The file is downloaded to your computer.
Select Open file to start the installation.
When completed, the Register Integration Runtime (Self-Hosted) page opens.
Go back to the Cloud Migration Setup page in Business Central and copy the value in the Authentication key field.
Go back to the Register Integration Runtime (Self-Hosted) page and paste the key value in authentication key box, then select Finish.
Go back to Cloud Migration Setup and select Next.
After you select Next, a new pipeline is created in the Azure service. This operation usually takes less than a minute. To test your SQL string, open the Microsoft Integration Runtime Configuration Manager and select the Diagnostics menu option. From there, you can test the connection.
Rerunning cloud migration setup guide
There are some scenarios where it might be necessary for you to run the cloud migration setup guide more than once.
Tip
We recommend that you take a backup of the target environment so that you can easily restore the environment to a specific state and time, should you want to do so.
A common scenario is when you want to add tenants to an existing runtime service. If you're a hosting partner, you might have multiple tenants running on the same integration runtime service. Each tenant is isolated in their own data pipeline. To add tenants to an existing integration runtime service, enter the name of the existing integration runtime service into this field. The integration runtime name can be found in the Microsoft Integration Runtime Manager. Learn more in Create and configure a self-hosted integration runtime in the Azure docs.
In this scenario, you're making updates to an existing runtime service. When you get to the point of the assisted setup guide where you can specify an existing runtime service name, open the Microsoft Integration Runtime Service Manager. Then enter the runtime name in the field; you aren't allowed to copy and paste. The runtime service identifies that you're making updates to an existing service and doesn't create a new one.
Complete the steps in the wizard to update the runtime service. If the change is related to adding tenants to an existing service, a new data pipeline is created for that tenant. Regenerating an Azure Data Factory (ADF) key might be done using the Cloud Migration Management page in your Business Central online. Learn more in Run the assisted setup guide.
Troubleshoot and fix problems
If you encounter problems with the setup, learn more in Cloud migration troubleshooting for Business Central.
Next steps
Related information
Dynamics SL migration to Business Central online: End-to-end overview
Compare work in Dynamics SL to Business Central
FAQ about migrating to Business Central Online from on-premises solutions