Why Migrate Databases To AWS Or Other Cloud Providers?

One of the current common projects for companies to take on today are the migrations. Not just from one database system to another. Like a recent project where we migrated Oracle databases to MS SQL Server, Oracle to PostgreSql or MS SQL server to MYSQL, etc. But also, migrating servers from local hardware to cloud based systems like AWS and Azure.

The goal of these projects are simple.

Reduce costs, and increase the ability to spin up servers and databases on a whim.

Databases are not cheap to licenses when you use products like Oracle or MS SQL server. Add on top of that all of the Oracle and Microsoft's one off costs for every tool and doo-hicky a company can add on and the price starts to become overwhelming.
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Databases no longer have to cost an arm and a leg and with the ability to reduce costs further by not just converting RDBMS (relationship database management systems) but also migrating to AWS.
In addition, the ease at which a general user can spin up and down a server on AWS allows for much more agile project development. This makes it easier to go from prototype to final product without dealing with as much bureaucracy. That is, if the company even had enough space on their servers.

Back when companies had to manage a lot more of their own servers. If a company ran out of space on their current server racks, they had to go through the process of buying a new server.

That means getting approval, putting in a PO, waiting for the server, configuring it, securing it, and then putting it online. This was not only expensive. It could take weeks, months...maybe even a year or two depending on the pace of the company(let’s not even get started on a discussion on whether or not the server was needed. Often times, there was plenty of space on a server somewhere..just no one knew it existed).
Now, if a new server is needed, depending on the internal processes, it could be a quick approval a way from being spun up. A new database just a statement away.

Both offer significant advantages in savings.

​However, database migrations and conversions are technologically complicated and intense projects! They require experts in database management, security and project managers to ensure the end result is secure and acts 100% the same as the previous set of objects.

So why would a company do it?

Over the next few articles we will be discussing how to convert various databases like Oracle and MS SQL to other options that can be free and just as effective.

We will also be listing out the benefits to switching to a cloud system.

At the end of the day, all of this will help reduce an IT department's cost substantially.

If you need help with any services such as data migrations or converting one RDBMS to another, our team would be happy to help! We have many members who have done all forms of data conversions and migrations.

If you want to read more about databases, data science and how to manage great data teams, then check out the articles below.

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