Staging unified SQL MI migration experience

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^	azure-sql/managed-instance/doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new.md

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^	azure-sql/managed-instance/doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new.md

Author: MashaMSFT

azure-sql/managed-instance/doc-changes-updates-release-notes-whats-new.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: Learn about the new features and documentation improvements for Azu
 author: MashaMSFT
 ms.author: mathoma
 ms.reviewer: wiassaf, mathoma
-ms.date: 07/09/2025
+ms.date: 07/15/2025
 ms.service: azure-sql-managed-instance
 ms.subservice: service-overview
 ms.topic: whats-new
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ The following table lists the features of Azure SQL Managed Instance that are cu
 |[Endpoint policies](./service-endpoint-policies-configure.md) | Configure which Azure Storage accounts can be accessed from a SQL Managed Instance subnet. Grants an extra layer of protection against inadvertent or malicious data exfiltration.|
 |[Flexible memory](resource-limits.md#flexible-memory-preview) | Save on cost by choosing the memory allocation for your [Next-gen General Purpose](service-tiers-next-gen-general-purpose-use.md) instance based on your workload needs.|
 |[Modernization Advisor](../virtual-machines/modernization-advisor.md) | Use the Modernization Advisor in the Azure portal to help you determine if migrating to Azure SQL Managed Instance from a SQL Server VM saves you money or optimizes performance. |
+|[Migrate SQL Server to Azure](/sql/azure-arc/migrate-to-azure-sql-managed-instance) | Migrate your SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc instance to Azure SQL Managed Instance through the Azure portal.|
 |[Next-gen General Purpose](service-tiers-next-gen-general-purpose-use.md) | An architectural upgrade of the General Purpose service tier that uses managed disks for greater resource flexibility, and improved performance while maintaining the same baseline cost as the General Purpose service tier.  |
 |[Regular expression functions](/sql/relational-databases/regular-expressions/overview) | Regular expression (REGEX) functions return text based on values in a search pattern. |
 |[SDK-style SQL project](/sql/azure-data-studio/extensions/sql-database-project-extension-sdk-style-projects) | Use [Microsoft.Build.Sql](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.Build.Sql) for SDK-style SQL projects in the SQL Database Projects extension in Azure Data Studio or Visual Studio Code. SDK-style SQL projects are especially advantageous for applications shipped through pipelines or built in cross-platform environments.|
@@ -61,10 +62,10 @@ The following table lists features of Azure SQL Managed Instance that have been
 | [Degrees of parallelism (DOP) feedback](/sql/relational-databases/performance/intelligent-query-processing-degree-parallelism-feedback?view=azuresqldb-mi-current&preserve-view=true) | July 2025|  DOP feedback improves query performance by identifying parallelism inefficiencies for repeating queries, based on elapsed time and waits. For more information, see the [Smarter Parallelism: Degree of parallelism feedback in SQL Server 2025](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/sqlserver/smarter-parallelism-degree-of-parallelism-feedback-in-sql-server-2025/4431318) blog. |
 |[Zone redundancy for General Purpose](high-availability-sla-local-zone-redundancy.md#zone-redundant-availability) | June 2025|  Deploy your General Purpose SQL Managed Instance to multiple availability zones to improve the availability of your instance in the event of a disaster. | 
 |[Invoke an HTTPS REST endpoint SP](/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-invoke-external-rest-endpoint-transact-sql) | June 2025 | Use the `sp_invoke_external_rest_endpoint` stored procedure to invoke an HTTPS REST endpoint provided as an input argument to the procedure. | 
-| [TLS 1.3 support for replication](replication-transactional-overview.md#tls-13-support) | May 2025 | Configure Azure SQL Managed Instance replication agents to use TLS 1.3. |
-| [Free SQL Managed Instance](free-offer.md) | May 2025 | Try Azure SQL Managed Instance for free for the first 12 months after an instance is created.  |
-| [JSON native data type](/sql/t-sql/data-types/json-data-type?view=azuresqlmi-current&preserve-view=true) | May 2025 | The **json** data type provides new capabilities for handling semistructured data in Azure SQL Managed Instance. |
-| [JSON aggregate functions](/sql/relational-databases/json/json-data-sql-server?view=azuresqlmi-current&preserve-view=true#json-data-from-aggregates) | May 2025 | Two **json** aggregate functions (`JSON_OBJECTAGG` and `JSON_ARRAYAGG`) enable construction of JSON objects or arrays based on an aggregate from SQL data. |
+|[TLS 1.3 support for replication](replication-transactional-overview.md#tls-13-support) | May 2025 | Configure Azure SQL Managed Instance replication agents to use TLS 1.3. |
+|[Free SQL Managed Instance](free-offer.md) | May 2025 | Try Azure SQL Managed Instance for free for the first 12 months after an instance is created.  |
+|[JSON native data type](/sql/t-sql/data-types/json-data-type?view=azuresqlmi-current&preserve-view=true) | May 2025 | The **json** data type provides new capabilities for handling semistructured data in Azure SQL Managed Instance. |
+|[JSON aggregate functions](/sql/relational-databases/json/json-data-sql-server?view=azuresqlmi-current&preserve-view=true#json-data-from-aggregates) | May 2025 | Two **json** aggregate functions (`JSON_OBJECTAGG` and `JSON_ARRAYAGG`) enable construction of JSON objects or arrays based on an aggregate from SQL data. |
 |[MI link from SQL Server 2017](managed-instance-link-feature-overview.md#prerequisites) | March 2025 | Configure a link from SQL Server 2017 to Azure SQL Managed Instance. |
 |[Native Windows principals](native-windows-principals.md) | February 2025 | Use the new **Windows** authentication metadata mode to allow Windows authentication or Microsoft Entra authentication (using a Windows principal metadata) with Azure SQL Managed Instance. |
 |[Instance pools](instance-pools-overview.md) | November 2024 | Save on costs and share resources between multiple instances in a pool within a single virtual machine. A convenient and cost-efficient way to migrate smaller SQL Server instances to the cloud, and the only way to deploy a 2-vCore managed instance. |
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ Learn about significant changes to the Azure SQL Managed Instance documentation.
 | Changes | Details |
 | --- | --- |
 | **Degrees of parallelism (DOP) feedback GA** |  DOP feedback improves query performance by identifying parallelism inefficiencies for repeating queries, based on elapsed time and waits. DOP feedback is now generally available for Azure SQL Managed Instance with the [Always-up-to-date update policy](update-policy.md#always-up-to-date-update-policy). To learn more, see [Degrees of parallelism (DOP) feedback](/sql/relational-databases/performance/intelligent-query-processing-degree-parallelism-feedback?view=azuresqldbmi-current&preserve-view=true). For additional information, see the [Smarter Parallelism: Degree of parallelism feedback in SQL Server 2025](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/sqlserver/smarter-parallelism-degree-of-parallelism-feedback-in-sql-server-2025/4431318) blog. |
+|**Migrate SQL Server instance to Azure preview** | Migrate your SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc instance to Azure SQL Managed Instance through the Azure portal. This feature is currently in preview. Review [Migrate SQL Server instance to Azure SQL Managed Instance](/sql/azure-arc/migrate-to-azure-sql-managed-instance) to learn more. |
 
 ### June 2025
 

azure-sql/managed-instance/log-replay-service-migrate.md

@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ This generates an email that notifies you that auditing for the SQL managed inst
 
 To configure the firewall, follow these steps: 
 
-1. Go to your managed instance in the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com) and select the subnet to open the **Subnets** page.
+1. Go to your SQL managed instance in the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com) and select the subnet to open the **Subnets** page.
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/log-replay-service-migrate/sql-managed-instance-overview-page.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the SQL managed instance Overview page of the Azure portal, with the subnet selected.":::
 

docs/sql-server/azure-arc/connect.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Connect an instance of SQL Server to Azure Arc. Allows you to manag
 author: anosov1960
 ms.author: sashan
 ms.reviewer: mikeray, maghan
-ms.date: 07/03/2025
+ms.date: 07/08/2025
 ms.topic: how-to
 ms.custom:
   - references_regions
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@ If the server that runs your SQL Server instance isn't yet connected to Azure, y
 
 ### Generate an onboarding script for SQL Server
 
-1. Go to **Azure Arc > SQL Server** and select **+ Add**
+1. Go to [Azure Arc](https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_Azure_ArcCenterUX/ArcCenterMenuBlade/~/getStarted) in the Azure portal.
+1. Under **Data services**, select **SQL Server instances** and then select **+ Add** to open the **Add existing SQL Server instances** page.
 
-   :::image type="content" source="media/join/start-creation-of-sql-server-azure-arc-resource.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the start creation." lightbox="media/join/start-creation-of-sql-server-azure-arc-resource.png":::
+   :::image type="content" source="media/join/start-creation-of-sql-server-azure-arc-resource.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Azure Arc page with SQL Server instances and +Add selected." lightbox="media/join/start-creation-of-sql-server-azure-arc-resource.png":::
 
-1. Under **Connect SQL Server to Azure Arc**, select **Connect Servers**
+1. On the **Add existing SQL Server instances** page, select **Connect SQL Server instances** for a new registration or **Register SQL Server instances** for a disconnected instance.
 
 1. Review the prerequisites and select **Next: Server details**
 
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ If the server that runs your SQL Server instance isn't yet connected to Azure, y
 1. Specify the SQL Server instance(s) you want to exclude from registering (if you have multiple instances installed on the server). Separate each excluded instance by a space.
 
    > [!IMPORTANT]  
-   > If the machine hosting the SQL Server instance is already [connected to Azure Arc](/azure/azure-arc/servers/onboard-portal), make sure to select the same resource group that contains the corresponding **Server - Azure Arc** resource.
+   > If the machine that hosts the SQL Server instance is already [connected to Azure Arc](/azure/azure-arc/servers/onboard-portal), make sure to select the same resource group that contains the corresponding **Server - Azure Arc** resource.
 
    :::image type="content" source="media/join/server-details-sql-server-management-azure-arc.png" alt-text="Screenshot of server management details." lightbox="media/join/server-details-sql-server-management-azure-arc.png":::