title: Migrating Azure VM to Another (SQL Version Upgrade)
body: <p>I have an Azure VM (windows Server 2016 and SQL Server 2016) running a production web app that serves as both the app and db server for performance and cost reasons. There is some corruption that has caused various issues like windows updates fail, SQL Server auto patching fails, can't open SQL Server Configuration tools, etc. I'd also like to upgrade from SQL Server to a newer version (2019) for some features.</p>
  
  <p>I've <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/35581243/change-sql-server-edition-on-azure-vm">read</a> that it is not possible to do an in-place version upgrade, so the recommended path is to spin up a new VM with the latest SQL image and migrate from the old to the new. I know that link is for an Edition upgrade, which it seems they <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/sql/virtual-machines-windows-sql-change-edition" rel="nofollow noreferrer">now do support</a>. But I haven't seen this as being possible on version upgrades. As such, I assume migration is still the path?</p>
  
  <p>I have 2 data disks on the current VM to house the data and log files that I can move over to the new VM...but there are a lot of other aspects to consider like public IP, network security group, SSL Certs, IIS config, etc. </p>
  
  <p>I'm an app developer, not a windows admin, and new to Azure as well. Are there any check lists on how to do this as painlessly as possible? My google searches were fruitless (got moving to different regions, migrating from SQL server to Azure SQL, etc). For example, create the new VM, move the data/log disks over to the new VM, restore the DB on the new VM, script out SQL jobs/logins from source to new, point the external IP and NSG to the new VM, manually create IIS websites and reinstall SSL certs....</p>