Elasticsearch offers a flexible solution for enhancing existing SQL applications by adding powerful search capabilities without requiring significant architectural changes. This adaptability is particularly appealing to system administrators managing legacy systems, where replacing infrastructure can be costly and time-consuming. Through a five-part series, David Pilato demonstrates how to integrate Elasticsearch into a Spring Boot/MySQL application, showcasing its ability to perform CRUD operations, handle search and analytics, and use tools like Kibana for reporting. The series includes practical examples that can be tried at home using resources available in a GitHub repository, with options to deploy either on Elastic Cloud or locally. The content, initially presented at virtual events such as Codemotion's Dev Lunch Box, serves as both an educational guide and a leisure activity during social distancing periods.