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Build an Automated Database Migration Platform with DMS & SCT

Overview

In this comprehensive workshop, you will learn to build an Automated Database Migration Platform using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) and Schema Conversion Tool (SCT). You will create a complete migration factory that supports multiple database engines, implements zero-downtime migration with Change Data Capture (CDC), and includes automated validation and rollback procedures.

By the end of this workshop, you will have hands-on experience with enterprise-grade database migration techniques and best practices used in production environments.

AWS Architecture

AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)

AWS DMS is a managed service that helps you migrate databases to AWS quickly and securely. DMS supports both homogeneous migrations (same database engine) and heterogeneous migrations (different database engines) such as Oracle to Amazon Aurora or Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL. The service keeps your source database fully operational during the migration, minimizing downtime to applications that rely on the database.

DMS can migrate your data to and from most widely used commercial and open-source databases. It supports continuous data replication with high availability and consolidates databases into a petabyte-scale data warehouse by streaming data to Amazon Redshift and Amazon S3.

Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)

AWS SCT makes heterogeneous database migrations predictable by automatically converting the source database schema and a majority of the database code objects to a format compatible with the target database. Any objects that cannot be automatically converted are clearly marked so that they can be manually converted to complete the migration.

Database Migration Components

A Migration Factory consists of several key components that work together to ensure successful database migration:

  • Replication Instance: The compute resource that performs the actual data migration
  • Source and Target Endpoints: Connection configurations for your databases
  • Migration Tasks: Define what data to migrate and how to migrate it
  • Monitoring and Validation: Real-time tracking of migration progress and data integrity

Zero-Downtime Migration

Zero-downtime migration is achieved through a combination of full load migration followed by Change Data Capture (CDC). This approach ensures that your applications can continue running against the source database while changes are continuously replicated to the target database in near real-time.

The workshop uses a cost-effective approach with AWS Free Tier eligible resources where possible. Total estimated cost is under $50, making it perfect for learning and development purposes.

Migration Best Practices

This workshop incorporates industry best practices for database migration including:

  • Comprehensive pre-migration assessment and planning
  • Automated schema conversion and validation
  • Performance testing and optimization
  • Rollback procedures and disaster recovery planning
  • Cost optimization strategies for production deployments

Workshop Architecture

The migration platform you’ll build includes:

  • Multi-engine support: MySQL to PostgreSQL migration example
  • Automated validation: Lambda functions for data integrity checks
  • Real-time monitoring: CloudWatch dashboards and alarms
  • Rollback capabilities: Snapshot-based recovery procedures
  • Cost optimization: Resource scheduling and cleanup procedures