Master SQL Server Containers: A DBA’s Guide to Deployment, Management & Modernization to Kubernetes

Regular 50 minute session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

Learn how to deploy, configure, and manage SQL Server containers to modernize your data platform. This DBA focused and demo lead session covers SQL server on container architecture, Kubernetes integration, high availability, and clustering techniques, giving you the confidence to run SQL Server in containerized environments and build your skills as a SQL DBA.

Session Details

Containers and Kubernetes are rapidly becoming the backbone of modern data platforms. Are you ready to level up your DBA skills? This session provides a clear pathway for DBAs to transition from traditional SQL Server management to containerized environments with demos.
We’ll dive into SQL Server container architecture, deployment strategies, and configuration on Windows and Linux. Plus, we’ll cover Day 2 operations monitoring, high availability, and clustering techniques for SQL containers. By the end, you’ll be confident in running SQL Server on containers and prepared to expand your expertise into Kubernetes and OpenShift for data modernization projects.

3 things you'll get out of this session

Understand SQL Server container architecture and its role in modern data platforms.
Learn deployment and configuration best practices for SQL Server containers on Linux in comparison to Windows.
Explore Day 2 operations: monitoring, high availability, and clustering strategies for containerized SQL environments.