PolarDB is a next-generation distributed relational database service that is developed by Alibaba Cloud. PolarDB is compatible with the MySQL database engine and provides features such as high performance, high availability, ease of use, and high reliability. This topic describes how to migrate data from a self-managed MySQL database to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster by using Data Transmission Service (DTS).

Prerequisites

Usage notes

  • DTS uses read and write resources of the source and destination databases during full data migration. This may increase the loads of the database servers. If the database performance is unfavorable, the specification is low, or the data volume is large, database services may become unavailable. For example, DTS occupies a large amount of read and write resources in the following cases: a large number of slow SQL queries are performed on the source database, the tables have no primary keys, or a deadlock occurs in the destination database. Before you migrate data, evaluate the impact of data migration on the performance of the source and destination databases. We recommend that you migrate data during off-peak hours. For example, you can migrate data when the CPU utilization of the source and destination databases is less than 30%.
  • The source database must have PRIMARY KEY or UNIQUE constraints and all fields must be unique. Otherwise, the destination database may contain duplicate data records.
  • DTS uses the ROUND(COLUMN,PRECISION) function to retrieve values from columns of the FLOAT or DOUBLE data type. If you do not specify a precision, DTS sets the precision for the FLOAT data type to 38 digits and the precision for the DOUBLE data type to 308 digits. You must check whether the precision settings meet your business requirements.
  • If a data migration task fails, DTS automatically resumes the task. Therefore, before you switch your workloads to the destination cluster, stop or release the data migration task. Otherwise, the data in the source database overwrites the data in the destination cluster after the task is resumed.

Migration types

DTS supports schema migration, full data migration, and incremental data migration. For more information, see Terms.
Note When you migrate data between PolarDB for MySQL clusters, you can select all of the supported migration types to ensure service continuity.

Billing

Migration typeTask configuration feeInternet traffic fee
Schema migration and full data migrationFree of charge. Charged only when data is migrated from Alibaba Cloud over the Internet. For more information, see Billing overview.
Incremental data migrationCharged. For more information, see Billing overview.

SQL operations that can be synchronized during incremental data migration

Operation typeSQL statement
DMLINSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and REPLACE
DDL
  • ALTER TABLE and ALTER VIEW
  • CREATE FUNCTION, CREATE INDEX, CREATE PROCEDURE, CREATE TABLE, and CREATE VIEW
  • DROP INDEX and DROP TABLE
  • RENAME TABLE
  • TRUNCATE TABLE

Permissions required for database accounts

DatabaseSchema migration and full data migrationIncremental data migration
Self-managed MySQL databaseThe SELECT permissionThe REPLICATION SLAVE, REPLICATION CLIENT, SHOW VIEW, and SELECT permissions
PolarDB for MySQL clusterRead and write permissionsRead and write permissions

For more information about how to create a database account and grant permissions to the account, see the following topics:

Preparations

Create an account for a self-managed MySQL database and configure binary logging

Procedure

  1. Log on to the DTS console.
    Note If you are redirected to the Data Management (DMS) console, you can click the old icon in the lower-right corner to go to the previous version of the DTS console.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Data Migration.
  3. At the top of the Migration Tasks page, select the region where the destination cluster resides.
  4. In the upper-right corner of the page, click Create Migration Task.
  5. Configure the source and destination databases.
    Configure the source and destination databases
    SectionParameterDescription
    NoneTask NameThe task name that DTS automatically generates. We recommend that you specify a descriptive name that makes it easy to identify the task. You do not need to specify a unique task name.
    Source DatabaseInstance TypeThe instance type of the source database. In this example, User-Created Database with Public IP Address is selected for this parameter.
    Note If you select other instance types, you must deploy the network environment for the self-managed database. For more information, see Preparation overview.
    Instance RegionThe region in which the source database resides. If you select User-Created Database with Public IP Address as the instance type, you do not need to specify the Instance Region parameter.
    Note If a whitelist is configured for the self-managed MySQL database, you must add the CIDR blocks of DTS servers to the whitelist of the database. You can click Get IP Address Segment of DTS next to Instance Region to obtain the CIDR blocks of DTS servers.
    Database TypeSelect MySQL.
    Hostname or IP AddressThe endpoint that is used to connect to the self-managed MySQL database. In this example, the public IP address is used.
    Port NumberThe service port number of the self-managed MySQL database. Default value: 3306.
    Database AccountThe account of the self-managed MySQL database. For more information about the permissions that are required for the account, see Permissions required for database accounts.
    Database PasswordThe password of the database account.
    Note After you specify the source database parameters, click Test Connectivity next to the Database Password parameter to verify whether the specified parameters are valid. If the specified parameters are valid, the Passed message is displayed. If the Failed message is displayed, click Check next to Failed. Modify the source database parameters based on the check results.
    Destination DatabaseInstance TypeThe instance type of the destination database. Select PolarDB.
    Instance RegionThe region where the destination PolarDB cluster resides.
    PolarDB Instance IDThe ID of the destination PolarDB for MySQL cluster.
    Database AccountThe database account of the destination PolarDB cluster. For information about the permissions that are required for the account, see Permissions required for database accounts.
    Database PasswordThe password of the database account.
    Note After you specify the destination database parameters, click Test Connectivity next to the Database Password parameter to verify whether the specified parameters are valid. If the specified parameters are valid, the Passed message is displayed. If the Failed message is displayed, click Check next to Failed. Modify the destination database parameters based on the check results.
  6. In the lower-right corner of the page, click Set Whitelist and Next.
    Warning If the CIDR blocks of DTS servers are automatically or manually added to the whitelist of the database or instance, or to the ECS security group rules, security risks may arise. Therefore, before you use DTS to migrate data, you must understand and acknowledge the potential risks and take preventive measures, including but not limited to the following measures: enhance the security of your username and password, limit the ports that are exposed, authenticate API calls, regularly check the whitelist or ECS security group rules and forbid unauthorized CIDR blocks, or connect the database to DTS by using Express Connect, VPN Gateway, or Smart Access Gateway.
  7. Select the required migration types and the objects that you want to migrate.
    Select the required migration types and the objects that you want to migrate
    SettingDescription
    Select migration types
    • To perform only full data migration, select Schema Migration and Full Data Migration.
    • To ensure service continuity during data migration, select Schema Migration, Full Data Migration, and Incremental Data Migration.
    Important If Incremental Data Migration is not selected, we recommend that you do not write data to the source database during full data migration. This ensures data consistency between the source and destination databases.
    Select the objects that you want to migrate

    Select one or more objects from the Available section and click the Rightwards arrow icon to add the objects to the Selected section.

    Important
    • You can select columns, tables, or databases as the objects to be migrated.
    • By default, after an object is migrated to the destination database, the name of the object remains unchanged. You can use the object name mapping feature to rename the objects that are migrated to the destination database. For more information, see Object name mapping.
    • If you use the object name mapping feature to rename an object, other objects that are dependent on the object may fail to be migrated.
    Specify whether to rename objectsYou can use the object name mapping feature to rename the objects that are migrated to the destination database. For more information, see Object name mapping.
    Specify the retry time range for failed connections to the source or destination databaseBy default, if DTS fails to connect to the source or destination database, DTS retries within the next 720 minutes (12 hours). You can specify the retry time range based on your business requirements. If DTS reconnects to the source and destination databases within the specified time range, DTS resumes the data migration task. Otherwise, the data migration task fails.
    Note Within the time range in which DTS attempts to reconnect to the source and destination databases, you are charged for the DTS instance. We recommend that you specify the retry time range based on your business requirements. You can also release the DTS instance at the earliest opportunity after the source and destination databases are released.
    Specify whether to copy temporary tables to the destination database when DMS performs online DDL operations on the source tableIf you use DMS to perform online DDL operations on the source database, you can specify whether to migrate temporary tables generated by online DDL operations. Valid values:
    • Yes: DTS migrates the data of temporary tables generated by online DDL operations.
      Note If online DDL operations generate a large amount of data, the data migration task may take an extended period of time to complete.
    • No: DTS does not migrate the data of temporary tables generated by online DDL operations. Only the original DDL data of the source database is migrated.
      Note If you select No, the tables in the destination database may be locked.
  8. In the lower-right corner of the page, click Precheck.
    Note
    • Before you can start the data migration task, DTS performs a precheck. You can start the data migration task only after the task passes the precheck.
    • If the task fails to pass the precheck, you can click the Info icon icon next to each failed item to view details.
      • You can troubleshoot the issues based on the causes and run a precheck again.
      • If you do not need to troubleshoot the issues, you can ignore failed items and run a precheck again.
  9. After the task passes the precheck, click Next.
  10. In the Confirm Settings dialog box, specify the Channel Specification parameter and select Data Transmission Service (Pay-As-You-Go) Service Terms.
  11. Click Buy and Start to start the data migration task.
    • Schema migration and full data migration

      We recommend that you do not manually stop the task during full data migration. Otherwise, the data migrated to the destination database may be incomplete. You can wait until the data migration task automatically stops.

    • Schema migration, full data migration, and incremental data migration

      An incremental data migration task does not automatically stop. You must manually stop the task.

      Important We recommend that you select an appropriate time to manually stop the data migration task. For example, you can stop the task during off-peak hours or before you switch your workloads to the destination cluster.
      1. Wait until Incremental Data Migration and The migration task is not delayed appear in the progress bar of the migration task. Then, stop writing data to the source database for a few minutes. The latency of incremental data migration may be displayed in the progress bar.
      2. Wait until the status of incremental data migration changes to The migration task is not delayed again. Then, manually stop the migration task. Stop an incremental data migration task
  12. Switch your workloads to the destination PolarDB cluster.