Early Alpha • Limited Access
/solutions/ ❯ mssql-on-kubernetes

Run Microsoft SQL Server
on Kubernetes. For Real.

Break free from Windows-only licensing traps and cloud vendor lock-in. Solanica Platform brings production-grade MSSQL to any Kubernetes cluster — with automated Day-2 operations, built on OpenEverest.

Join the Alpha Program → See the Numbers ↓
KUBERNETES CLUSTER · any cloud / on-premSOLANICA PLATFORM · based on OpenEverestSolanica Operatorreconciles state · runs failoverSQL Server2022 · Linux containerPRIMARY▤ PVC · fast-ssdSQL Server2022 · Linux containerSTANDBY▤ PVC · fast-ssdALWAYS-ON AG
Up to 60% TCO reduction vs. Azure SQL
No vendor lock-in — run anywhere
Automated Day-2 operations
$ kubectl get pods -l app=mssql | wc -l

The Real Cost of Running MSSQL

Microsoft SQL Server licensing on managed cloud services is a margin machine — for the cloud provider. Here's what happens when you take control.

● SCENARIO: AZURE_SQL_MANAGED

Azure SQL Managed Instance

Typical enterprise setup — 16 vCores, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB storage, HA enabled

Compute (General Purpose) $2,880/mo
SQL Server License (included) $1,920/mo
Storage (1 TB Premium) $460/mo
HA Replica $2,400/mo
Backup Storage $230/mo
Monitoring & Insights $150/mo
Monthly Total ~$8,040/mo
Annual Total ~$96,480/yr
Prices based on Azure East US region, pay-as-you-go. Actual costs may vary.
● SCENARIO: SOLANICA_K8S

MSSQL on Kubernetes + Solanica

Same specs — 16 vCPU, 64 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe, HA with auto-failover

Compute (K8s worker nodes) $960/mo
SQL Server License (BYOL / Dev) $420/mo
Storage (CSI NVMe) $180/mo
HA Replica (same cluster) $640/mo
Backup (S3-compatible) $45/mo
Solanica Platform License $500/mo
Monthly Total ~$2,745/mo
Annual Total ~$32,940/yr
$ 66% TCO Reduction — Save ~$63,540/yr
WHERE_THE_SAVINGS_COME_FROM
BYOL Licensing
Bring your existing SQL Server licenses or use Developer Edition for non-prod. Avoid the cloud markup on licensing that can be 2-4x retail.
Up to 70% on license costs
Right-Sized Compute
Kubernetes lets you allocate exactly the CPU and memory your MSSQL instances need. No paying for fixed tiers. VPA adjusts resources in real time.
40-60% on compute
Flexible Storage
Use CSI drivers to mount NVMe, local SSD, or network storage. Stop paying premium IOPS rates when your workload doesn't need them 24/7.
50-70% on storage
Scale-to-Zero Dev/Test
Non-production MSSQL instances hibernate when idle. No more paying for dev databases that sit unused 16 hours a day.
80% on non-prod environments
Calculate your savings with us →
NOTE: All figures are estimates based on publicly available pricing as of March 2026. Actual savings depend on workload, region, and licensing agreements. We recommend running a detailed TCO analysis for your specific environment.
$ helm install mssql --set cloud=any

Escape the Vendor Lock-In Trap

Azure SQL, AWS RDS for SQL Server, Google Cloud SQL — they all want you locked into their ecosystem. Solanica gives you MSSQL that runs identically everywhere.

VENDOR LOCKEDAzure SQL MIAzure-only APIsRDS SQLAWS-only APIsProprietary backup formatVendor-specific HA plumbingNon-portable monitoringLocked pricing tiersExit cost: $50K–$500K+3–12 months of migration workCLOUD PORTABLEAKSAzureEKSAWSGKEGoogle · on-premStandard Kubernetes APIsS3-compatible backups you ownPrometheus + Grafana metricsIdentical manifests everywhereExit cost: kubectl applySame YAML, any cluster
● MULTI_CLOUD

Run Anywhere Kubernetes Runs

AKS, EKS, GKE, on-prem (OpenShift, Rancher, vanilla K8s) — your MSSQL deployment is the same YAML manifest. Switch clouds without rewriting a single line of application code or ops tooling.

▸ Same Helm chart across all environments
▸ Disaster recovery across cloud providers
▸ Cloud negotiation leverage
● DATA_SOVEREIGNTY

Own Your Data Stack

No proprietary backup formats. No vendor-specific monitoring APIs. Your backups go to S3-compatible storage you control. Your metrics flow to standard Prometheus. Your data stays sovereign.

▸ S3-compatible backups (MinIO, Ceph, AWS S3)
▸ Prometheus + Grafana monitoring
▸ Standard SQL Server native tools
● LICENSE_FLEXIBILITY

Your License, Your Terms

Bring your own SQL Server licenses through Software Assurance, use Developer Edition for non-prod, or run SQL Server Express for lightweight workloads. You choose the licensing model that makes financial sense.

▸ BYOL through Software Assurance
▸ Developer Edition for dev/test (free)
▸ Express Edition for lightweight use
● OPEN_STANDARDS

Built on Open Source

Solanica Platform is powered by OpenEverest — open-source Kubernetes operators for databases. No black boxes. Audit the code, fork it, contribute to it. Your infrastructure runs on standards, not SaaS lock-in.

▸ OpenEverest: fully open-source operator
▸ Kubernetes-native CRDs
▸ Community-driven roadmap
$ kubectl apply -f instance.yaml

How It Works Under the Hood

You submit a single, high-level Instance to OpenEverest — it references the mssql provider. That provider expands your request into the low-level SQL Server resources and reconciles them into a self-healing deployment — all inside your own Kubernetes cluster. No manual intervention, no scripts duct-taped together.

kubectl · Helm · GitOpsYou declare the database you wantKUBERNETES CLUSTER · any cloud / on-premSOLANICA PLATFORM · powered by OpenEverestOPENEVEREST API · core.openeverest.io/v1alpha1InstanceProvidermssql providerpart of OpenEverest · reconciles your InstanceMSSQL RESOURCES · created by the provider, managed by the operatorMSSQLInstanceMSSQLAvailabilityGroupMSSQLBackup · …mssql-0PRIMARYSQL Serversidecars▤ PVC: data · log · tempdbmssql-1STANDBYSQL Serversidecars▤ PVC: data · log · tempdbAGEndpointsBackups → S3Prometheus metricsTLS client access↻ Continuous reconciliation — self-healing on drift, pod loss, or config changedesired state == actual state, always
// the operator handles Day-2 for you
Automated failover Backup & restore Rolling upgrades Scale up & out Self-healing Certificate rotation
$ cat /etc/solanica/features.yaml

Enterprise Features, Kubernetes Native

Everything you expect from a managed SQL Server service — without the managed service price tag or the vendor handcuffs.

Early Alpha — Feature Roadmap

MSSQL on Kubernetes is currently in early alpha. Features marked with ALPHA are available today. Features marked with PLANNED are on our near-term roadmap. Your feedback shapes what ships next.

High Availability

ALPHA

Always-On Availability Groups managed by the operator. Automatic failover with sub-30-second recovery. Zero data loss in synchronous mode.

✓ Synchronous & async AG modes
✓ Automatic primary election
✓ K8s Service-based endpoint routing

Backup & Restore

ALPHA

Scheduled full and differential backups to S3-compatible storage. Point-in-time recovery. Encrypted and compressed by default.

✓ Automated backup schedules (cron)
✓ S3/MinIO/GCS backup targets
✓ Point-in-time restore (PITR)

Monitoring & Alerting

ALPHA

Built-in Prometheus exporter for SQL Server metrics. Pre-configured Grafana dashboards. Alertmanager rules for critical database events.

✓ MSSQL-specific Prometheus metrics
✓ Pre-built Grafana dashboards
✓ Alert rules for replication lag, CPU, I/O

Security & Encryption

ALPHA

TLS encryption for all connections. Kubernetes RBAC integration. Namespace isolation. Secrets management via Kubernetes Secrets or external vaults.

✓ TLS 1.3 for all connections
✓ K8s RBAC & NetworkPolicy
✓ Vault integration for credentials

TDE Key Management

PLANNED

Transparent Data Encryption with automated key rotation. Integration with HashiCorp Vault, AWS KMS, and Azure Key Vault for enterprise key management.

○ Automated TDE key rotation
○ External KMS integration
○ Compliance-ready audit trails

Performance Auto-Tuning

PLANNED

AI-powered query analysis and automatic index recommendations via Solanica AI Copilot integration. Automatic tempdb configuration and memory optimization.

○ AI Copilot index suggestions
○ Automatic tempdb optimization
○ Query Store analysis & recommendations
$ solanica onboard --mode=guided

From Pilot to Production,
Without the Guesswork

You don't have to figure out SQL Server on Kubernetes alone. Our team runs the journey with you — from a first cost model to a production rollout your auditors will sign off on.

01

Discovery & TCO

We map your current SQL Server estate and licensing, then model your real savings on Kubernetes — no spreadsheets-in-the-dark.

Days, not months
02

Guided Pilot

Deploy on your own cluster, migrate a real workload, and prove out HA failover, backups, and monitoring against your SLAs.

Your infra, your data
03

Production Rollout

Go live with a repeatable GitOps blueprint and expert support beside you — plus alpha pricing locked in as you scale.

Repeatable & owned by you
◇
Open-source core
Built on OpenEverest — audit it, fork it, keep it.
⬡
Runs on your infrastructure
Your cluster, your cloud, your data residency.
◈
Expert support
Direct access to the engineers building it.
▲
No lock-in, ever
Standard Kubernetes, S3, and Prometheus.