I'm exploring the available patterns for moving an RDS or Aurora database back to an on-premises environment. My current understanding is that the main choices are either using AWS Database Migration Service with change data capture to keep an on-premises database synchronized, or taking a logical backup such as mysqldump and restoring it on-premises. Are there other practical approaches, especially for minimizing downtime or performing a point-in-time migration?
3 Answers
For a one-time move, the usual approach is to stop applications that write to the database, take a snapshot or logical dump, provision the on-premises database, and restore the data there. That gives you a consistent point-in-time copy, but requires downtime while the final backup is created and restored.
DMS with change data capture is a good fit when you need continuous synchronization during the migration. It can keep the target updated while the source remains active, allowing you to schedule a short final cutover. The other common choice is a logical export and restore, such as mysqldump, for a simpler one-time migration. The exact options depend on whether the Aurora engine is MySQL-compatible or PostgreSQL-compatible and whether native replication is supported for the target.
Right—there generally aren’t many additional magic options. The practical decision is usually between a dump and restore for a fixed point in time, or replication/change data capture when you need the on-premises copy to catch up before switching over.
You can also do a low-downtime cutover without necessarily using DMS. Establish connectivity between Aurora and the on-premises server, seed the on-premises database with a dump or snapshot-compatible export, then configure native replication where the database engines support it. Let the target catch up, stop writes briefly, and promote the on-premises system. A VPN or another secure TLS connection would be needed, along with careful attention to engine and version compatibility.
This was mainly an academic question, but that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying the basic point-in-time option.