A Guide for Migrating MySQL from GCP to Amazon RDS MySQL with AWS DMS

Overview

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, businesses are constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of customers. As a result, data migration has become an integral part of today’s IT industry. A common practice is to migrate a MySQL database from Google Cloud Platform (GCP) to Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this blog post, we will explore the process of migrating a MySQL database from GCP to AWS using the AWS Database Migration Service (DMS).

Introduction

Amazon Web Services offers a powerful solution for this precise task: the AWS Database Migration Service (DMS). By harnessing the capabilities of AWS DMS, organizations can efficiently migrate their MySQL databases from GCP to Amazon RDS MySQL, while also addressing complexities such as data replication, schema transformation, and ongoing synchronization.

The Need for Database Migration

There are several reasons why an organization might decide to migrate its database from one cloud provider to another. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Cost Optimization: AWS and GCP offer different pricing models and pricing structures. A business may migrate to AWS to take advantage of cost-saving opportunities.
• Performance Improvements: AWS may offer better performance, scalability, or services that align more closely with an organization’s needs.
• Geographical Considerations: Changing business requirements may necessitate moving data closer to specific regions or customers.
• Vendor Lock-In: Organizations may distribute their infrastructure across multiple cloud providers to reduce vendor lock-in and maintain flexibility.

Preparing for the Migration

Before diving into the migration process, thorough planning and preparation are crucial. Here are the key steps:

• Ensure you have the necessary AWS and GCP accounts and permissions.
• Assessment: Analyse your existing MySQL database on GCP. Identify dependencies, data volumes, and any potential issues during migration.
• AWS Setup: Set up your target environment on AWS. This includes creating a MySQL database instance, configuring security groups, and ensuring network connectivity.
• Schema Conversion: Ensure your database schema is compatible with Amazon RDS for MySQL or your target database. AWS SCT (Schema Conversion Tool) can assist in this process.

Link to the Schema Conversion Tool: –

Installing, verifying, and updating AWS SCT – AWS Schema Conversion Tool (amazon.com)

• Data Migration Strategy: Decide on your data migration strategy. Depending on your requirements, You can perform a one-time migration or set up ongoing replication.
• Ensure the source GCP MySQL database is accessible and its firewall rules allow traffic from the DMS replication instance’s IP address.

Create AWS IAM Roles

Create an AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) role for AWS DMS to migrate. This role should have permissions to access both the source and target database.

Prepare the Target AWS MySQL Database:

Create a new Amazon RDS MySQL instance or use an existing one as the target database. Ensure it is properly configured with the desired parameters like instance size, storage, and security groups.

AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)

The AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) is a fully managed service that makes it easier to migrate relational databases, data warehouses, NoSQL databases, and other data stores to AWS. AWS DMS simplifies the process by providing tools and resources to replicate data from the source database to the target database with minimal downtime.

Steps to Migrate MySQL from GCP to AWS with AWS DMS

Now, let’s walk through the essential steps to migrate your MySQL database from GCP to AWS DMS:

1. Create an AWS DMS Replication Instance: Create an AWS DMS replication instance in the AWS Management Console. This instance acts as a bridge between your source and target databases.

2. Set Up Source and Target Endpoints: Define the source (GCP MySQL) and target (AWS MySQL) endpoints in AWS DMS. Ensure you provide connection details, such as credentials and endpoint addresses.

Note: – Once you’ve established the source endpoint, navigate to the GCP console and include the public IP address of the DMS replication server in the MySQL server settings to obtain the connectivity between the GCP MySQL database and AWS Replication Server

3. Create a Migration Task: Create a migration task in AWS DMS, specifying the source and target endpoints and the migration type (one-time or continuous). You can also configure additional settings, such as table mappings and transformations.

4. Start the Migration Task: Once everything is configured, start the migration task. AWS DMS will begin replicating data from your GCP MySQL database to your AWS MySQL database.

5. Monitor and Validate: Monitor the migration progress in the AWS DMS console. Validate the data on the target database to ensure it matches the source.

6. Cut Over: After thorough testing and validation, plan a cutover window during which you’ll use the AWS-hosted database. This may involve updating DNS records or application connection strings.

7. Post-Migration Tasks: Once the migration is complete, perform any necessary post-migration tasks, such as optimizing database performance, updating configurations, and ensuring data consistency.

8. Clean-Up: Finally, decommission the source GCP MySQL database and any associated resources to avoid unnecessary costs.

Conclusion

Successful database migration is not just about moving data, but it’s about ensuring data integrity, minimizing downtime, and optimizing performance. By following best practices and utilizing the right tools, you can achieve a smooth and successful migration to AWS.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) and we will get back to you quickly.

About CloudThat

CloudThat is an official AWS (Amazon Web Services) Advanced Consulting Partner and Training partner, AWS Migration Partner, AWS Data and Analytics Partner, AWS DevOps Competency Partner, Amazon QuickSight Service Delivery Partner, AWS EKS Service Delivery Partner, and Microsoft Gold Partner, helping people develop knowledge of the cloud and help their businesses aim for higher goals using best-in-industry cloud computing practices and expertise. We are on a mission to build a robust cloud computing ecosystem by disseminating knowledge on technological intricacies within the cloud space. Our blogs, webinars, case studies, and white papers enable all the stakeholders in the cloud computing sphere.

To get started, go through our Consultancy page and Managed Services Package, CloudThat’s offerings.