Migration of MySQL Server from On-Prem to Azure

Introduction to Migration

Migration of MySQL database infrastructure from an on-premises setting to Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform, is the process of migrating a MySQL database to Azure. Azure provides several services, the most notable of which is the Azure Database for MySQL, which hosts MySQL databases in a highly available, secure, and scalable environment.

Azure Database for MySQL is a fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution. Microsoft handles database management responsibilities such as backups, scalability, patching, and high availability. As a result, businesses can concentrate on their apps and day-to-day operations instead of worrying about maintaining the underlying infrastructure. 

Depending on your database’s complexity, your tolerance for downtime, and the particular Azure services you want to utilize, there are a few processes involved in moving a MySQL server from on-premises to Azure. This is a general guide: 

Source: Microsoft

Types of Migration

Migration of MySQL Server can be carried out in two ways: 

1. Offline Migration
   While an offline migration is occurring, the system is unavailable. With this option, you can be sure that no transactions are taking place and that the data is in the precise state that it should be when it is restored in Azure.
2. Online Migration
   Data is migrated in almost real time via online migrations. When there is minimal downtime for the consumers or applications using the data workload, this approach is suitable. The procedure entails copying the data using a replication technique like Binlog or something comparable. 

Tools to Perform Migration of MySQL Server from On-Premises to Azure

There are various tools to perform the Migration of MySQL databases to Azure. 

1. MySQL Workbench. 
2. Data Migration Service. 
3. Import and Export. 
4. Binlog replication. 
5. MyDumper and Myloader. 

Pre-Migration Checklist

A certain level of planning is required prior to migration. Consider the following steps as part of your planning.

1. Analyze Your Options: MySQL databases can be hosted on Azure in a number of ways.

• MySQL on Azure Database (PaaS solution)
• MySQL-powered Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS solution)

2. Evaluate the Database: Establish the size, performance needs, and version compatibility of your MySQL database.
3. Select the Migrating Approach: Either a hybrid migration (incremental, live sync) or a full database migration (using tools to move everything) can be carried out.
4. Backup Strategy: Make sure you have a fallback plan in place in case something goes wrong with the migration. 

DECISION TABLE

The decision table for when we are migrating MySQL workloads from on-prem to Azure is illustrated in the table below. 

Conclusion

Organizations can take advantage of cloud computing’s greater scalability, cost-effectiveness, and high availability by migrating a MySQL database to Azure. Businesses may offload a large portion of the operational burden involved in maintaining on-premises databases, including backups, patching, and hardware maintenance, by switching to Azure. Azure provides adaptable solutions to meet different demands, such as fully managed services with Azure Database for MySQL or more control with Azure VMs. 
 
Tools like Azure Database transfer Service (DMS), which guarantees little downtime and seamless transitions and offers choices for online and offline transfer based on business objectives, can expedite the conversion process. Azure’s integrated security and monitoring tools support preserving data integrity and peak performance after migration.