Personal blog of Yzmir Ramirez

This long article aims to provide you with the instructions and tools to migrate your production database from your current environment to a solution based on Percona Everest (MySQL). Nice. You decided to test Percona Everest and found that it is the tool you were looking for to manage your private DBaaS. The easiest part […]

Sure, database migration is complex, particularly when you’re looking to migrate from a proprietary database to an open source one. But you’re probably confident you and your team can handle it — and you’re probably right!

But just because you can do something doesn’t mean that it’s in your best interest to do so. Database migration is almost always time-consuming, tedious, and full of potential pitfalls. It also has a bit of a learning curve, which isn’t ideal if this is your or your team’s first go-round.

So, before you start migrating on your own, here’s why you should consider a third-party database migration service.

Database migration is complex

Let’s start here. The technicalities involved in migrating a database can be overwhelming. From upholding data integrity to ensuring no data is lost during the transition, there’s a lot to consider.  

We covered these complexities in greater detail in our blog post “From Proprietary to Open Source: The Complete Guide to Database Migration,” but, in short, you must consider: 

• Pre-migration planning:  What are your purposes and objectives? Which software is the best fit for your organization? What is the best path to migrate? Should you consider a phased migration or a full cutover? 

• Data preparation:  How are you going to backup and cleanse your data?  

• Schema, data, and app migration:  Do you have the right tools at your disposal?  What’s your plan to mitigate or minimize downtime? 

• Quality assurance:  How do you plan to test? Have you built a testing environment? Have you tuned your environment?  

• Deployment and rollout:  Will you roll out gradually or all at once? What’s your documentation plan? Do you have monitoring tools in place? 

Time and resource constraints

First, you must consider the opportunity costs associated with database migrations. In-house database migration can take up significant time, requiring dedicated staff and resources, often leading to other projects being put on hold. Can your business afford to delay more strategic initiatives for an in-house migration? 

Second, what happens when a migration doesn’t go as planned?  What are the potential impacts of prolonged downtime, for example? Consider this in face of the fact that estimated downtime costs can exceed $300,000 per hour for small, mid-sized, and large enterprises. 

Expertise and experience

As mentioned, database migrations are complex, and every situation is unique. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. This is particularly true when you’re migrating to an open source database that those on your staff may or may not be intimately familiar with. Chances are you will encounter some unforeseen hiccups along the way. The question is whether or not you have the expertise and experience to handle them. 

However, while many of these issues may be unforeseen to you and your team, third-party database migration services have almost certainly dealt with them before. Percona, for example, has helped hundreds of companies migrate to open source. Our experts can anticipate potential roadblocks and issues, which is absolutely invaluable when it comes to preventing resource-draining delays and downtime. 

Testing made easy

An equally critical aspect of the database migration process is testing the migrated database to ensure everything will function correctly and no data will be lost or corrupted. To achieve this, a substantial commitment is necessary from your team to master effective testing strategies. This entails providing comprehensive training for your staff, equipping them with both foundational and sophisticated testing methodologies. Additionally, it involves the acquisition or development of specialized testing software, which often comes with its own set of training requirements.

Conversely, third-party database migration services provide several advantages when it comes to testing, including: 

• Comprehensive testing protocols: Third-party services have a set of standardized testing protocols based on scores of projects. This means they can ensure that every possible scenario is tested, from data integrity checks to performance benchmarks.
• Access to specialized tools: There are many tools available for database testing, but they can be expensive and require training to be used effectively. Third-party services typically already have these tools and the expertise to use them, providing more efficient and accurate testing.
• Experience in complex scenarios: Every database is unique, but over time, third-party services accumulate experience from various sectors, making them adept at foreseeing and handling complex testing scenarios.
• Time efficiency: Testing a database, especially a large one, can be time-consuming. With their expertise, third-party services can streamline the process, getting your migrated database up and running faster.

Avoiding the risks of DIY database migration

We’ve covered some of the following in passing above, but here are some quick-hitting risks you should consider when thinking about migrating on your own.  

Potential data loss
In-house teams might not have the expertise to prevent such losses. For example, without comprehensive testing, which includes data integrity checks, there’s a higher risk of losing data. Or there’s the possibility of overlooking the backup of certain databases or parts of databases.  The risk of potential data loss during a DIY migration can stem from several factors.

System downtime
Incorrect migration can lead to prolonged system downtimes, affecting your business operations. During a migration, unexpected issues can arise, such as incompatibilities between the old and new systems or unforeseen bugs that weren’t apparent during testing. Additionally, when an in-house team is managing the migration, they’re not managing their usual responsibilities. This reallocation of resources can lead to slowdowns in other areas of the business, compounding the downtime experienced due to the migration itself.  Then, of course, there’s the possibility of issues arising post-migration. 

Unforeseen costs
DIY migrations can lead to unforeseen expenses.  Many third-party migration services operate on a fixed-cost model. This means you know upfront what the service will cost, allowing for precise budgeting without the risk of escalating expenses. 

Additionally, every mistake made during a migration can be costly. Whether it’s data that needs to be recovered or systems that need to be debugged, fixing these issues takes time and money. Third-party experts are less likely to make such errors, and if they do, they are typically responsible for rectifying them at their own expense.

Third-party database migration: a success story

Have you ever listened to a podcast? You’ve probably heard of Patreon. The company provides tools to help creators get paid for the content they create. They also chose Percona to ass it with their database migration.

Percona planned and performed Patreon’s database migration, which went smoothly, with little to no disruption to the Patreon application. This move has enabled Patreon to save more than 50% of their infrastructure cost on a monthly basis. The financial savings realized are so dramatic that even after including the costs of a Percona Migration and optional post-migration Support, Patreon spends far less on combined services and infrastructure than they did prior to their migration.

You can read more about Pateron’s success story here.

Planning your database migration

If you’re still considering migrating your database on your own, our free Database Migration Planning Checklist will help you lay out a strategy for success.  If, however, you’re considering a third-party migration service, we invite you to learn more about Percona’s migration services. 

 

Learn more about Percona Migrations

FAQs

Is hiring a third-party database migration service expensive?
While there’s an upfront cost, in the long run, considering the risks and potential unforeseen expenses of DIY, it’s often more cost-effective.

How long does the migration process take with a third party?
The duration depends on the complexity of the database. However, third parties, with their expertise and tools, often ensure a quicker transition.

Will there be any downtime during migration?
Professional third-party firms aim to minimize downtime. Any downtime is typically scheduled during off-peak hours to limit disruptions.

How do I choose the right third-party firm for migration?
Look for firms with a proven track record, positive client testimonials, and those that offer scalable solutions.

What if my data gets lost during migration?
Reputed third-party firms have stringent measures in place to prevent data loss. Always ensure you have a backup and discuss safety protocols with the firm before migration.

Many organizations are turning to open source solutions to streamline their operations and reduce costs. Open source migration can be a game-changer, offering flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, it’s not without its challenges. Below, we’ll explore the common pitfalls of open source migration and provide insights on how to avoid them.

Common pitfalls when migrating to open source

Lack of proper planning

Proper is the operative word here. Some level of planning is expected when migrating to open source. Heck, typing “database migration plan” into Google and reading this blog could constitute planning. But what separates proper planning from, well, “planning” planning?

In brief, a proper database migration plan includes: 

• Establishing clear objectives:  Define what you want to achieve and how open source will get there. Are you looking to cut costs? Free yourself from lock-in? Provide self-service to developers?
  
• Creating a detailed project plan: Develop a comprehensive project plan that outlines the tasks, timelines, and responsibilities of all stakeholders.
• Taking stock of resources:  Do you have the right people with the necessary skills on board? Or is it necessary to call in an expert third party? Can you allocate an appropriate budget and time frame for the project?
• Identifying and mitigating risks: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential obstacles. Develop strategies to mitigate these risks and have contingency plans in place.
• Communication and training: Keep all stakeholders informed about the progress and changes throughout the migration process. Provide training to staff members, DBAs, and developers to ensure they are well-prepared for the transition.
• Testing and QA: Test the open source solution thoroughly to identify and address any issues before the full-scale migration.

Bottom line: Avoid a rushed migration to open source. The last thing you want to do is struggle with project scope, timelines, and resource allocation.

Inadequate training

Transitioning to open source requires a team that understands your target database solution. Failure to provide adequate training to your operations and development staff— on database configuration knowledge, best practices, and backup and recovery techniques, to name a few key areas — can lead to frustration, resistance, and inefficiencies. 

Neglecting compatibility issues

Compatibility between existing systems and open source software is critical. Neglecting this aspect can result in data loss, functionality issues, and integration challenges. To assess compatibility and ensure a successful database migration, we recommend doing the following: 

• Assessment: Assess your existing database, applications, and infrastructure. Document the current state, including data schemas, stored procedures, and dependencies.
• Data mapping and transformation: Create a detailed data map that identifies the structure and format of your existing data. Use ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools to assist with this process.
• Testing: Create a testing environment that mirrors your production setup. Test the migration thoroughly, including data integrity, application functionality, and performance. 
• Modify or refactor applications: If your applications are tightly coupled with the proprietary database, you may need to modify or refactor them to work with the open source database. This could involve changing SQL queries, database drivers, or data access layers.
• Data validation and migration: Before migration, ensure that your data is clean and consistent. Remove duplicates, address data quality issues, and validate data to prevent issues during migration.

Overlooking security

We wrote about this topic in greater depth in our blog post, Open Source Software Security: Is Open Source Software Safe? but, in short, open source software is no more or less secure than proprietary software. Still, misconfigurations and lax security practices when migrating can expose your organization to vulnerabilities. So take the time to ensure that the open source database meets your security and compliance requirements — conducting security audits and implementing necessary access controls and encryption measures.

Underestimating customization efforts

Open source software often requires customization to meet specific business, security, and compliance needs. For example, PostgreSQL, a popular destination for organizations leaving proprietary databases like Oracle, is not enterprise-ready out of the box. It lacks many of the high availability and security features critical for production environments. Underestimating the effort required for customization can lead to project delays.

Poor communication

Effective communication among stakeholders is crucial. Miscommunication can lead to unclear expectations, misaligned priorities, scope creep, decision delays, and risk ignorance. It can also exacerbate any of the aforementioned problems. Clearly communicate project goals with all necessary stakeholders, provide regular updates, ensure transparency, and thoroughly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations. 

Budget and resource constraints

Cost-saving is a key driver of open source adoption. Yet, many open source migration costs can escalate if not managed properly. Then, there are the opportunity costs that can originate from a delayed (or botched) migration. What happens, for example, if you experience prolonged periods of downtime? Give serious consideration to both the ability of your on-staff to execute a migration as well as the need to budget for any unforeseen expenses. 

Failure to conduct quality assurance and testing

Thorough database migration testing is essential to ensure that the open source solution functions correctly. Skipping this step can lead to post-migration issues. Specifically, quality assurance and testing should involve:

• Functional testing: Ensure that all features and functions of the open source solution work as intended. Test various scenarios to validate functionality.
• Data migration testing: Verify that data is accurately and securely migrated from the old system to the new one. Test data integrity, formats, and relationships.
• Integration testing: Assess how the open source solution interacts with other systems, including data flow and synchronization.
• Performance testing: Evaluate the system’s performance under different conditions, such as load testing, to ensure it can handle expected user loads.
• Security testing: Perform security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.
• Regression testing: After any changes or updates, conduct regression testing to ensure that new features or fixes do not introduce new issues.

Documentation gaps

Maintaining comprehensive documentation is often overlooked. Over time, details about the migration process, configurations, and customizations can be lost.  Documentation helps prevent knowledge erosion, onboarding hurdles, and troubleshooting delays.  

Ignoring Community support

Open source thrives on community support. A strong and active community can provide valuable resources, including tutorials, forums, and documentation for solving technical issues and maintaining performant operations. Ignoring this valuable resource can also limit your access to updates, patches, and best practices.

Database migration planning: Next steps

Our experts will help you create and validate an open source database migration strategy tailored to your unique business and technical requirements. Then, if you want, they can help you execute. You can learn more here. 

If you’re not yet ready — or wish to learn more about planning for a database migration —  check out our Database Migration Planning Checklist. It’s full of helpful tips and tricks to help you plan your move. 

 

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