Organisations across every sector are looking to modernise their IT estate, reduce risk, and accelerate their move to the cloud. But before making strategic decisions about migration, modernisation, or optimisation, leaders need clarity with accurate data, cost modelling, and actionable recommendations.

This is where Microsoft-funded Solution Assessments, powered by Dr Migrate, provide exceptional value. By combining Microsoft’s investment with an automated, data-driven assessment platform, businesses like yours get a complete understanding of their infrastructure with zero disruption and cost. 

In this blog, we break down the approach, benefits, and output you can expect when using Dr Migrate as part of a Microsoft-funded assessment.

What Are Microsoft-Funded Solution Assessments?

Microsoft-funded assessments are structured, Partner-led engagements designed to help organisations like yours analyse their existing IT landscape and build a business case for Azure. These assessments are available at no cost to your organisation, thanks to Microsoft’s funding (subject to approval).

They enable you to:

• Discover your own current environment

• Identify risks, gaps, and opportunities

• Model cloud scenarios and costs

• Build a migration roadmap

• Accelerate decision-making and secure internal buy-in

When delivered using Dr Migrate, the assessment becomes even more powerful, thanks to deep automation, rich analytics, and rapid insights.

The Dr Migrate-Powered Assessment Approach

A typical engagement follows a structured, low-effort process built around automation and best-practice methodology.

Kick-Off and Requirements Gathering

The engagement begins with a short workshop where we:

• Capture your objectives

• Understand business and technical priorities

• Define scope (servers, applications, databases, storage, networking, etc.)

• Confirm data collection approach

• Align on timelines and outputs

This ensures the assessment is tailored to your specific environment and business goals.

Automated Data Collection with Dr Migrate

Dr Migrate collects real-time configuration and performance data with no agents, no downtime, and minimal resource involvement across your Teams.

It gathers detailed information on:

• Virtual machines and physical servers

• Operating systems and patch levels

• Application workloads

• SQL/database landscapes

• Storage and network utilisation

• Performance patterns

• Dependencies between systems

This automation provides accurate, granular insights while eliminating manual effort and human error.

Dependency Mapping and Analysis

One of the biggest challenges in cloud migration planning is understanding how systems talk to each other.

Dr Migrate automatically builds:

• Dependency maps

• Communication flow diagrams

• Application groupings based on real usage

These allow us to identify which workloads can move together, which require refactoring, and where modernisation opportunities exist.

Azure Suitability and Sizing

Using Dr Migrate’s analytics, we determine:

• Which workloads are cloud-ready

• Migration blockers (OS, security, hardware constraints)

• Recommended Azure services

• Right-sized VM SKUs based on actual utilisation

• Modernisation opportunities (PaaS, containers, AVS, etc.)

This ensures accurate, optimised Azure designs rather than “lift-and-shift guesswork.”

Cost Modelling and TCO

The assessment includes detailed financial modelling:

• Azure consumption and infrastructure costs

• Storage, networking, and licensing considerations

• Savings plans and reservations

• Hybrid Benefit

• On-premises TCO baseline

• 3/5-year ROI projections

This creates a compelling business case for your leadership teams to review and assess internally.

Executive Readout and Technical Roadmap

You receive a complete report with strategic recommendations, risks, and next steps. We also deliver a tailored migration roadmap aligned with:

• Business priorities

• Technical readiness

• Funding opportunities

• Migration waves and timelines

• Resource and skills planning

This output provides a clear, validated path forward.

Key Benefits of Using Dr Migrate in a Microsoft-Funded Assessment

1.    Zero-Cost Data Collection – thanks to Microsoft funding and Dr Migrate automation, you get enterprise grade analysis without significant investment.

2.    Deep, Accurate Insight – real performance and dependency data ensures recommendations are fact-based, not estimated.

3.    Minimal Customer Effort – no need for agents, downtime, or long manual workshops. Your technology teams stay focused on operations.

4.    Faster Time to Value – automation accelerates assessment delivery from weeks to days.

5.    A Roadmap You Can Execute – outputs are aligned with Azure landing zone principles and ready for migration planning.

6.     Enables Microsoft Funding for Migration – a completed assessment strengthens approval for additional Microsoft funding support programmes

Deliverables: What You Will Receive

A Dr Migrate-powered Microsoft Solution Assessment produces a complete set of actionable insights and strategic deliverables, including:

• Comprehensive Environment Inventory: Servers, applications, databases, OS versions, utilisation, dependencies.

• Azure Readiness and Suitability Report: Cloud-ready workloads, blockers, modernisation opportunities.

• Dependency and Application Mapping: Clear grouping for migration waves.

• Right-Sizing and Architecture Recommendations: Best-fit Azure services and configurations.

• Detailed Azure Cost Estimates: Consumption, licensing, hybrid benefit, reservation modelling, AVS comparisons.

• Executive Summary and Business Case: Clear ROI, risks, and strategic justification for cloud transformation.

• End-to-End Migration Roadmap: Prioritised plan with timelines, phases, and recommended approach.

A Microsoft-funded Solution Assessment powered by Dr Migrate is one of the most effective ways for your organisation to begin or accelerate your cloud journey. By combining automation, deep analytics, and Microsoft investment, your business will gain clarity, cost efficiency, and a clear migration strategy with minimal effort.

If you're planning cloud transformation or even just evaluating your existing estate this assessment provides the insight you need to make confident, strategic decisions.

Get in touch with us to discuss more at curious@servent.co.uk