Azure Migration & Databricks Acronyms Reference
A quick-reference guide to key Azure and data-engineering acronyms that recur throughout migration and modernization projects.
ADLS – Azure Data Lake Storage
Microsoft’s cloud-based object storage optimized for analytics.
Similar in concept to AWS S3 but supports a hierarchical namespace for directory-style organization and fine-grained ACLs.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/storage/blobs/data-lake-storage-introduction
Azurite
Microsoft’s official Azure Storage emulator for local development and testing.
It mimics Blob, Queue, and Table services so you can develop against Azure Storage APIs without an Azure account.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/storage/common/storage-use-azurite
MI – Azure SQL Managed Instance
A fully managed deployment of SQL Server in Azure offering near-100% feature parity with on-prem SQL Server.
It automates patching, backups, and HA/DR while allowing instance-level control.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/
MI Link – Managed Instance Link
A distributed Availability Group (AG) feature that provides near real-time replication from on-prem SQL Server to Azure SQL Managed Instance, enabling minimal-downtime migration or hybrid setups.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/managed-instance-link-overview
DMS – Azure Database Migration Service
Microsoft’s managed tool for migrating databases (SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, DB2, etc.) to Azure.
Supports both offline and online (minimal downtime) migrations with schema and data validation.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/dms/dms-overview
CAF – Cloud Adoption Framework
Microsoft’s end-to-end guidance for cloud adoption: strategy, planning, landing zones, governance, security, and operations.
Provides reusable blueprints and policies for consistent cloud architecture.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/cloud-adoption-framework/
AHB – Azure Hybrid Benefit
A licensing program that lets organizations apply existing Windows Server or SQL Server licenses (with Software Assurance) to Azure resources.
Reduces compute costs for SQL Managed Instance, SQL Server on VMs, and Windows VMs.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-hybrid-benefit/
DBU – Databricks Unit
A unit of processing capability billed per second in Azure Databricks.
Represents the compute cost for running workloads; total cost = DBUs × instance hours × pricing tier.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/databricks/resources/faq/azure-pricing
ADF – Azure Data Factory
Azure’s ETL/ELT and orchestration service for moving and transforming data between on-prem and cloud systems.
Includes built-in connectors for DB2, SQL Server, and ADLS.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/data-factory/introduction
AG – Availability Group
A SQL Server high-availability and disaster-recovery feature that replicates databases across primary and secondary replicas for automatic failover and read-scale.
Foundation for Managed Instance Link and hybrid HA/DR designs.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/sql/database-engine/availability-groups/windows/overview
RBAC – Role-Based Access Control
Azure’s authorization system for granting users, groups, or managed identities least-privilege access to resources through roles and scopes.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/role-based-access-control/overview
VNET – Virtual Network
Azure’s private, isolated network environment for securely hosting resources like VMs, databases, and gateways.
It allows you to control IP addressing, subnets, routing, and connectivity between Azure and on-prem environments.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/virtual-network/virtual-networks-overview
NSG – Network Security Group
A firewall-like rule set that controls inbound and outbound traffic to Azure resources within a Virtual Network.
Rules are defined by source, destination, port, and protocol to enforce least-privilege access.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/virtual-network/network-security-groups-overview
P2S / S2S VPN – Point-to-Site / Site-to-Site Virtual Private Network
- P2S (Point-to-Site): Connects a single client machine (like your laptop or lab VM) securely to an Azure VNET.
- S2S (Site-to-Site): Connects entire on-prem networks to Azure VNETs over IPsec tunnels for hybrid connectivity.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/vpn-gateway/vpn-gateway-about-vpngateways
ADLS Gen2 – Azure Data Lake Storage Generation 2
The enhanced version of ADLS, combining Azure Blob Storage scalability with a hierarchical namespace for folders, ACLs, and optimized big-data analytics.
It’s the standard storage layer for Databricks, Synapse, and Fabric Lakehouses.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/storage/blobs/data-lake-storage-introduction
AAD / Entra ID – Azure Active Directory / Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) service.
Renamed to Microsoft Entra ID, it provides authentication, single sign-on, and role-based access for Azure and connected apps.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/entra/identity/