In today’s hyper-connected, always-on business environment, the significance of database management systems and tools has grown immensely.
Whether you are a large scale global enterprise or a regional company, leveraging the power of data to make decisions is imperative to growing your business and staying competitive.
To manage, store, update and analyze large volumes of data, it has become more vital than ever for businesses to make use of the right tools and solutions.
Thankfully, there is a growing assortment of database management solutions and platforms for businesses.
However, when there is a plethora of options available, making the right choice can be a difficult and complex task.
If you are evaluating migrating your database from SQL Server to Postgres and want to understand the process and its nuances, this article will answer your questions.
Since migration from one database to another requires planning and consideration, you will also learn about a seamless and easy way to ensure database migration is seamless.
Understanding the difference: SQL server vs Postgres
Both SQL server and Postgres are popular relational database management systems which are widely adopted and utilized by organizations worldwide.
They both share many common similarities when it comes to performance, scale, features, compatibility, security and usability.
However, there are significant differences which provide distinction between the two databases and let us look at them below:
- While SQL server is a relational database system, Postgres is an object-relational database management system.
- SQL server runs only on Microsoft or Linux based operating systems whereas Postgres is OS-agnostic and runs on most systems.
- SQL server is a Microsoft product requiring a license whereas Postgres is fully open-source and completely free.
Why migrate to PostgreSQL
At a high level, both Microsoft SQL and Postgres are robust, secure, feature-rich and scalable choices and you cannot go wrong with any of them.
However, at a granular level, there are some key advantages offered by PostgreSQL which are worth considering in the long run.
Here are some of the compelling reasons why you should consider switching:
- Highly flexible: Due to the open-source nature and capabilities offered by Postgres, it has emerged as the more flexible choice amongst database management systems.
- Strong performance: Postgres is renowned for its strong performance as it excels in handling and managing large volumes of datasets, data types and languages.
- Cost effectiveness: Due to the open-source and license-free nature of PostgreSQL, it is a more affordable and cost-effective solution if you do not want to pay for a license.
- High availability: Postgres is renowned for its advanced features for server recovery and disaster management which leads to low downtime in everyday use cases.
- Cross-platform: Being open-source, PostgreSQL is available across all major platforms like Windows, MacOS and Linux without any restrictions.
- Seamless integration: PostgreSQL is free from any licensing lock-in or vendor-related restrictions which ensures robust performance across different environments.
- Vibrant community: Among database managers, developers and technology enthusiasts, Postgres enjoys active development and community updates.
Now that you have learned about the benefits and advantages of PostgreSQL over SQL server from Microsoft, it is logical to understand how to go about planning the migration.
Whether you want to save on licensing costs or avoid any hardware lock-in or platform related restrictions, migrating to PostgreSQL requires preparation and planning.
Things to keep in mind before database migration
If you are planning to migrate SQL Server to Postgres and want to ensure a successful transition, here are some key aspects you should keep in mind.
- Set a clear goal and define your overall objective for database server migration including the project timelines, cost, resources and outcomes.
- Identify potential challenges and roadblocks which might arise before, during or after the database migration.
- Plan the required resources including personnel, technology, training and infrastructure to ensure seamless transition to new servers.
- Define success outcomes and clearly outline the need, purpose and requirement for the migration.
- Keep all the stakeholders including the database managers, system administrators, IT and infrastructure teams and project managers involved in the migration.
- Outline a contingency plan in the event of unsuccessful database server migration.
As evident, the complexity involved in migrating your existing database from one system to another should not be overlooked.
Contrary to what many believe, the migration process requires more than just moving data and tables from a source to a destination.
It is an intricate process which requires careful attention to ensure that all functions, expressions and applications maintain their logic and performance as intended.
To streamline this process and ensure a safe and successful migration, you can leverage the power of a no-code, fully automated tool like Bryteflow.
Bryteflow is a flexible and scalable solution which is capable of handling large volumes of enterprise data in various types and formats.
Using this tool, you can save time, reduce costs and ensure a seamless database migration to PostgreSQL while ensuring security and data integrity.
The best part is that you do not need any coding language or additional infrastructure or hardware integration to use Bryteflow as it is a plug-and-play solution.