Microsoft Events hosts a deep dive into the next-gen Azure SQL Managed Instance, exploring performance improvements, AI-powered migration, and real-world modernization with speakers Anitha Adusumilli, Aditya Badramraju, Troy Brovold, and Craig Henninger.

Meet the Performance-Enhanced Next Gen Azure SQL Managed Instance

Speakers: Anitha Adusumilli, Aditya Badramraju, Troy Brovold, Craig Henninger
Microsoft Ignite 2025 – Session BRK125

Overview

This advanced session unveils the new General Purpose tier for Azure SQL Managed Instance, delivering double the performance and five times more database capacity for fully managed SQL workloads.

• Key Value: Fully managed SQL with unprecedented scale and performance.
• AI-Assisted Tooling: New migration tools leverage AI (including Copilot) to help you migrate large, complex SQL estates more efficiently—completing end-to-end migrations in days.
• Customer Case Study: Hear from Hexure, an insurance services organization, as they share their journey rebuilding their digital platform on Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure App Service, leading to improved customer experience and efficiency.

Session Highlights

• AI as Central Theme: Ignite 2025 focuses on the role of AI within modern database management and digital transformation.
• Consistency Across Editions: SQL Server 2025 is introduced as the AI-ready database, emphasizing consistency and advanced capabilities for enterprise scenarios.
• Next-Gen Performance: Learn about the technical underpinnings and real-world benchmarks achieving faster workload execution and expanded capacity.
• Migration Journey with Copilot Assistance: Experience a step-by-step walkthrough of Azure Portal's migration workflow, validation processes, query performance optimization, and go-live (cutover) execution, all enhanced with Copilot.
• Customer Success Story: Hexure details their transition, working closely with Microsoft teams to modernize their estate with Managed Instance and Azure App Service.

Chapters

• 0:00 – AI as Central Theme at Ignite and Role of SQL Data
• 5:33 – Consistency Across Editions and Introduction of SQL Server 2025 as AI-ready Database
• 9:48 – Introduction to NextGen GP Performance Improvements
• 16:01 – Customer Segment: Hexure Joins the Stage
• 19:47 – Migrating with Microsoft Teams and Managed Instance
• 22:38 – NextGen Database Scaling Innovations
• 28:58 – Azure Migration Journey with Copilot Assistance
• 29:24 – Azure Portal Migration Workflow
• 34:24 – Migration Validation and Cutover Execution

Resources

• AI-Ready Azure SQL Breakout Session
• More Ignite Sessions

Takeaways

• Explore the next-gen GP tier’s performance metrics
• Understand best practices in AI-powered, fully managed database migration
• Learn from real industry modernization stories (Hexure)
• See how Copilot and Azure tooling streamline end-to-end migration

Presented at Microsoft Ignite 2025 by Anitha Adusumilli, Aditya Badramraju, Troy Brovold, and Craig Henninger.