SQL Server Migration
Migrate SQL Server to Postgres
and eliminate Microsoft licensing
SQL Server Enterprise costs $15K–$150K per core in licensing, plus Software Assurance renewals and mandatory Windows Server. Postgres delivers the same transactional capability with zero license fees.
License Savings Calculator
See how much you can save by dropping SQL Server
Migration Process
Five phases to production-ready Postgres
T-SQL to PL/pgSQL
Automated conversion of stored procedures, functions, and triggers. T-SQL-specific syntax (TOP, ISNULL, GETDATE) mapped to Postgres equivalents with full test coverage.
SSIS to Modern ETL
SSIS packages analyzed and rebuilt in modern ETL platforms (Airflow, dbt, or cloud-native). Version-controlled, testable, and no longer tied to Visual Studio.
SSRS to Open Reporting
SSRS reports migrated to Apache Superset, Metabase, or Grafana. Modern web dashboards with better interactivity and no per-user licensing.
Data Migration
Full data transfer with validation. SQL Server data types mapped to Postgres equivalents. Filestream and full-text indexes handled with dedicated pipelines.
Application Cutover
Connection strings updated, ORM mappings verified, and application-level SQL validated. Parallel run period with automated consistency checks before final cutover.
SQL Server vs Postgres
| SQL Server | PostgreSQL | |
|---|---|---|
| License Cost | $15,123/2-core pack (Enterprise) | $0 (open source) |
| OS Requirement | Windows Server (additional license) | Linux (free) or any OS |
| ETL | SSIS (Visual Studio dependency) | Airflow, dbt, cloud-native (version-controlled) |
| Reporting | SSRS (per-user CALs) | Superset, Metabase, Grafana (open source) |
| JSON Support | Basic JSON functions | Native JSONB with GIN indexing |
| Extensions | CLR integration (C# only) | 400+ extensions (PostGIS, TimescaleDB, pgvector) |
Frequently asked questions
How compatible is T-SQL with PL/pgSQL?
About 60-75% of T-SQL translates directly to PL/pgSQL. Key differences include temporary table syntax, error handling (TRY/CATCH vs BEGIN/EXCEPTION), and window functions. Our tooling automates the bulk of conversion and flags items needing manual review.
What replaces SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)?
Modern ETL tools like Apache Airflow, dbt, or cloud-native solutions (AWS Glue, Azure Data Factory) replace SSIS with better scalability and version control. We migrate existing SSIS packages to your preferred modern ETL platform.
What about SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)?
Open-source reporting tools like Apache Superset, Metabase, or Grafana replace SSRS with modern web-based dashboards. We migrate existing SSRS reports and recreate them in the new platform.
Do we need to keep Windows Server for Postgres?
No. Postgres runs natively on Linux, which eliminates Windows Server licensing costs entirely. Most managed Postgres services (RDS, Cloud SQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL) run on Linux by default.
Can we migrate SQL Server on Azure to Azure Database for PostgreSQL?
Yes. Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server is a fully managed option. You eliminate SQL Server licensing while staying on Azure infrastructure, reducing migration risk.
Ready to drop SQL Server licensing? Let's build your migration plan.
Send us your SQL Server schema. We'll deliver a scoped migration plan with timeline and cost estimate within 5 business days.