Install Sitecore in Azure with No Databases

Question

I am using the Azure Toolkit to install Sitecore 10.2 on Azure infrastructure. This is just an XP install for development purposes, so I am using the XP Single ARM template. As this is the clean install for an upgrade project, I am using existing databases. My question is:

How to install Sitecore 10.2 with Identity Server, xConnect without database?

Would like to use existing database.

I created my own web deployment package by removing the database items from the archive.xml and parameters.xml file, but the install still spun up all the databases. I realize I could just go through and delete the databases but I'm sure there is an easier way.

I know that the local SIF approach has a Skip directive, but I'm unsure where this would go in any of the parameter files I am using.

Answer 1

You can do this by customising the ARM templates, but personally I wouldn't take that pain.

I would have achieved the same outcome (upgrade) by following the steps below

1. Installing new Sitecore instance in Azure with Databases
2. Copy the old version of Sitecore databases in to this resource group (if database names are set to same, copy the old version database with different name)
3. Upgrade the old databases to new version of Sitecore using the upgrade guide.
4. Rename the Sitecore 10.2 databases to a different name
5. Update the user passwords in upgraded databases with passwords from connection strings
6. update database authorisation (if required)
7. Rename the updated database to the name used by 10.2 before rename
8. Restart all the apps
9. Verify if new Sitecore 10.2 has all the data from old version of Sitecore
10. Delete 10.2 vanilla databases

I will update the link of the blog I'm currently writing on Sitecore upgrade process with necessary code scripts and update the answer with it soon.