You can migrate data from on-premises or user-created ECS-hosted SQL Server databases to the cloud by using the migration task feature of Database Backup (DBS). The migration task feature enables you to migrate backup data from SQL Server to the cloud in a quick and stable manner.
Prerequisites
- A backup gateway is installed on the server that hosts the source instance. For more information, see Add a backup gateway.
- Object Storage Service (OSS) is activated. For more information, see Activate OSS.
- The version of the source SQL Server database is 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2014,
2016, or 2017.
Note
You can use DBS to migrate data from the source instance to an existing ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance. You can also set the Target database instance type parameter to New when you configure a migration task. The system creates an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance compatible with the source SQL Server database.
The following table describes versions of destination ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instances that are compatible with each version of source SQL Server databases.
Source SQL Server database version Destination ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server SQL Server 2005 to 2012 ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition SQL Server 2014 to 2016 ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server 2016 Enterprise Edition SQL Server 2017 ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise Edition
Background information
- Faster migration: In the conventional method, MySQL Connector/J is used to query and upload all data in the source SQL Server database to an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance. This way, the migration speed is limited by the query performance of MySQL Connector/J. DBS creates a physical backup of the source SQL Server database and copies the physical backup data to the ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance. This is faster than the conventional method.
- Higher success rate for incremental migration: In the conventional method, incremental migration is performed by using redo logs. Errors are prone to occur in the parsing of redo logs, because the redo logs are in the closed-source format. DBS migrates data to the cloud by using native SQL Server interfaces to perform incremental backup and restoration. This provides a higher success rate.
- Ease of use: DBS consolidates information of the source database, backup destination, and destination ApsaraDB for RDS instance to the Configure a backup schedule step and provides user-friendly interfaces. You need only to configure the parameters in this step.
Precautions
- After you migrate an SQL Server database to an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance, you cannot modify the name of the destination database in the ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance.
- Only pay-as-you-go backup schedules can be created.
Billing
- A backup fee is charged by DBS. You can create only pay-as-you-go backup schedules. For more information, see Backup fees.
- A storage fee is charged by OSS. When you use DBS to migrate databases to Alibaba Cloud, you must use OSS to store backup data. For more information, see OSS pricing.
- A fee is charged by ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server. The fee is calculated based on the
specifications and storage size of the ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance that is
created. For more information, see ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server pricing.
Note ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instances that are created by DBS are billed on a pay-as-you-go basis.