This topic describes how to migrate data from a self-managed MySQL database to an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance by using Data Transmission Service (DTS). DTS supports schema migration, full data migration, and incremental data migration. When you migrate data from a self-managed MySQL database to Alibaba Cloud, you can select all of the supported migration types to ensure service continuity.

Supported source and destination databases

You can use DTS to migrate data between the following types of MySQL databases. In this example, the source database is a self-managed MySQL database with a public IP address and the destination database is an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. You can also follow the procedure to configure data migration tasks for other types of MySQL databases.
Source database Destination database
  • ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance
  • Self-managed databases:
    • Self-managed database with a public IP address
    • Self-managed database that is hosted on Elastic Compute Service (ECS)
    • Self-managed database that is connected over Express Connect, VPN Gateway, or Smart Access Gateway
    • Self-managed database that is connected over Database Gateway
  • ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance
  • Self-managed databases:
    • Self-managed database with a public IP address
    • Self-managed database that is hosted on Elastic Compute Service (ECS)
    • Self-managed database that is connected over Express Connect, VPN Gateway, or Smart Access Gateway
    • Self-managed database that is connected over Database Gateway

Prerequisites

  • The version of the self-managed MySQL database is 5.1, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, or 8.0.
  • If the source MySQL database is an on-premises database, the CIDR blocks of DTS servers must be added to the IP whitelist of the database. This setting ensures that DTS servers can access the source MySQL database. For more information, see Add the CIDR blocks of DTS servers to the security settings of on-premises databases.
  • The destination ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance is created. For more information, see Create an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
  • The available storage space of the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance is larger than the total size of the data in the self-managed MySQL database.

Limits

Category Description
Limits on the source database
  • Bandwidth requirements: The server to which the source database belongs must have sufficient egress bandwidth. Otherwise, the data migration speed is affected.
  • The tables to be migrated must have PRIMARY KEY or UNIQUE constraints and all fields must be unique. Otherwise, the destination database may contain duplicate data records.
  • If you select tables as the objects to be migrated and you need to edit tables (such as rename tables or columns), up to 1,000 tables can be migrated in a single data migration task. If you run a task to migrate more than 1,000 tables, a request error occurs. In this case, we recommend that you split the tables to be migrated, configure multiple tasks to migrate the tables, or call DTS API operations to configure tasks.
  • If you want to migrate incremental data, you must make sure that the following requirements are met:
    • The binary logging feature must be enabled. The value of the binlog_format parameter must be set to row. The value of the binlog_row_image parameter must be set to full. Otherwise, error messages are returned during precheck and the data migration task cannot be started.
    • Binary logs are retained for at least 7 days during full data migration. You can wait until full data migration is complete, and then clear the binary logs generated in the source database after the DTS task is run.
      Note DTS stores only 50 GB of binary logs or the binary logs for the last 24 hours. If the limit is exceeded, DTS automatically clears the cached logs.
      Warning If you clear the binary logs of the source database during full data migration, the data migration task may fail. For example, full data migration takes more than 24 hours due to the large data volume in the source database and abnormal writing in the destination database. In this case, if the binary logs of the source database are cleared during full data migration, DTS cannot obtain the binary logs generated 24 hours ago. Therefore, the data migration task may fail.
  • Limits on operations:
    • During schema migration and full data migration, do not perform data definition language (DDL) operations to change the schemas of databases or tables. Otherwise, the data migration task fails.
    • If you perform only full data migration, do not write data to the source database during data migration. Otherwise, data will be inconsistent between the source and destination databases. To ensure data consistency, we recommend that you select Schema Migration, Full Data Migration, and Incremental Data Migration as the migration types.
Other limits
  • To ensure compatibility, we recommend that you use the same engine versions for the source and destination MySQL databases.
  • 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. During full data migration, DTS uses read and write resources of the source and destination databases. This may increase the loads of the database servers.
  • During full data migration, concurrent INSERT operations cause fragmentation in the tables of the destination database. After full data migration is complete, the tablespace of the destination database is larger than that of the source database.
  • You must make sure that the precision settings for columns of the FLOAT or DOUBLE data type meets your business requirements. 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.
  • DTS attempts to resume data migration tasks that failed within the last seven days. Before you switch workloads to the destination instance, stop or release the data migration task. You can also run the revoke command to revoke the write permissions from the accounts that are used by DTS to access the destination instance. Otherwise, the data in the source database will overwrite the data in the destination instance after the task is resumed.
Special cases
  • If the source database is a self-managed MySQL database, take note of the following limits:
    • If you perform a primary/secondary switchover on the source database when the data migration task is running, the task fails.
    • DTS calculates migration latency based on the timestamp of the latest migrated data in the destination database and the current timestamp in the source database. If no data manipulation language (DML) operation is performed on the source database for a long time, the migration latency may be inaccurate. If the latency of the migration task is too high, you can perform a DML operation on the source database to update the latency.
      Note If you select an entire database as the object to be migrated, you can create a heartbeat table. The heartbeat table is updated or receives data every second.
  • If the destination database runs on an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance, take note of the following limits:

    DTS automatically creates a destination database in the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. However, if the name of the source database is invalid, you must manually create a database in the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance before you configure the data migration task. For more information, see Create a database on an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.

Migration types

  • Schema migration

    DTS migrates the schemas of the required objects from the source database to the destination database.

    Note
    • DTS supports schema migration for the following types of objects: table, view, trigger, stored procedure, and function.
    • During schema migration, DTS changes the value of the SECURITY attribute from DEFINER to INVOKER for views, stored procedures, and functions.
    • DTS does not migrate user information. To call a view, stored procedure, or function of the destination database, you must grant the read and write permissions to INVOKER.
  • Full data migration

    DTS migrates historical data of the required objects from the source database to the destination database.

  • Incremental data migration

    After full data migration is completed, DTS migrates incremental data from the source database to the destination database. Incremental data migration allows you to ensure service continuity when you migrate data between self-managed databases.

SQL operations that can be migrated

Operation type SQL statements
DML INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE
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

Database Schema migration Full data migration Incremental data migration
Self-managed MySQL database The SELECT permission The SELECT permission Full data migration: the SELECT permission on the objects to be migrated

The REPLICATION CLIENT, REPLICATION SLAVE, and SHOW VIEW permissions

The permissions to create databases and tables. The permissions allow DTS to create a database named dts to record heartbeat data during migration.

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance The read and write permissions

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

Procedure

  1. Go to the Data Migration page of the new DTS console.
    Note You can also log on to the Data Management (DMS) console. In the top navigation bar, choose DTS > Data Migration.
  2. In the upper-left corner of the page, select the region where the data migration instance resides.
    Select a region
  3. Click Create Task. On the page that appears, configure the source and destination databases.
    Warning After you select the source and destination instances, we recommend that you read the limits displayed at the top of the page. This helps you create and run the data migration task.
    Configure the source and destination databases
    Section Parameter Description
    N/A Task Name

    DTS automatically generates a task name. We recommend that you specify an informative name to identify the task. You do not need to use a unique task name.

    Source Database Select Template
    If the connection settings of the instance has been saved as a template, you can select the connection name. DTS automatically applies the saved connection settings.
    Note
    • You can modify the connection settings of a template.
    • To edit the template name, you can click Edit Template Name at the bottom of the Source Database section.
    • The modified connection template will take effect the next time you select the connection template. The database instance that you have configured by using the template is not affected.
    Database Type Select MySQL.
    Access Method Select an access method based on the deployment of the source database. In this example, select Public IP Address.
    Note If you select other types of self-managed databases, you must deploy the network environment for the source database. For more information, see Preparation overview.
    Instance Region Select the region where the source MySQL database resides.
    Hostname or IP Address Enter the endpoint that is used to access the source MySQL database. In this example, enter the public IP address.
    Port Number Enter the service port number of the source MySQL database. The port must be accessible over the Internet. The default port number is 3306.
    Database Account Enter the account of the source MySQL database. For information about the permissions that are required for the account, see Permissions required for database accounts.
    Database Password

    Enter the password of the database account.

    Save as Template
    Click Save as Template. In the dialog box that appears, set the name of the database connection, and click OK. The connection settings of the database instance is saved as a template.
    Note We recommend that you specify an informative name to identify the database connection. You do not need to use a unique name.
    Destination Database Select Template
    If the connection settings of the instance has been saved as a template, you can select the connection name. DTS automatically applies the saved connection settings.
    Note
    • You can modify the connection settings of a template.
    • To edit the template name, you can click Edit Template Name at the bottom of the Source Database section.
    • The modified connection template will take effect the next time you select the connection template. The database instance that you have configured by using the template is not affected.
    Database Type Select MySQL.
    Access Method Select Alibaba Cloud Instance.
    Instance Region Select the region where the destination ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance resides.
    RDS instance ID Select the ID of the destination ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
    Database Account Enter the database account of the destination ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. For information about the permissions that are required for the account, see Permissions required for database accounts.
    Database Password

    Enter the password of the database account.

    Encryption

    Select Non-encrypted or SSL-encrypted. If you want to select SSL-encrypted, you must enable SSL encryption for the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance before you configure the data migration task. For more information, see Configure SSL encryption on an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.

    Save as Template
    Click Save as Template. In the dialog box that appears, set the name of the database connection, and click OK. The connection settings of the database instance is saved as a template.
    Note We recommend that you specify an informative name to identify the database connection. You do not need to use a unique name.
  4. In the lower part of the page, click Test Connectivity and Proceed.
  5. If a whitelist is configured for your self-managed database, you must add the CIDR blocks of DTS servers to the whitelist. Then, click Test Connectivity and Proceed.
  6. Select objects for the task and configure advanced settings.
    • Basic SettingsBasic Settings
      Parameter Description
      Task Stages
      • 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.
      Note If Incremental Data Migration is not selected, we recommend that you do not write data to the source instance during data migration. This ensures data consistency between the source and destination instances.
      Processing Mode of Conflicting Tables

      • Precheck and Report Errors: checks whether the destination database contains tables that have the same names as tables in the source database. If the source and destination databases do not contain identical table names, the precheck is passed. Otherwise, an error is returned during precheck and the data migration task cannot be started.

        Note You can use the object name mapping feature to rename the tables that are migrated to the destination database. You can use this feature if the source and destination databases contain identical table names and the tables in the destination database cannot be deleted or renamed. For more information, see Map object names.
      • Ignore Errors and Proceed: skips the precheck for identical table names in the source and destination databases.
        Warning If you select Ignore Errors and Proceed, data consistency is not guaranteed and your business may be exposed to potential risks.
        • If the source and destination databases have the same schema, DTS does not migrate data records that have the same primary keys as data records in the destination database.
        • If the source and destination databases have different schemas, only some columns are migrated or the data migration task fails.
      Select Objects

      Select one or more objects from the Source Objects section and click the Rightwards arrow icon to move the objects to the Selected Objects section.

      Note You can select columns, tables, or databases as the objects to be migrated. If you select tables or columns as the objects to be migrated, DTS does not migrate other objects such as views, triggers, and stored procedures to the destination database.
      Rename Databases and Tables
      • To rename an object that you want to migrate to the destination instance, right-click the object in the Selected Objects section. For more information, see Map the name of a single object.
      • To rename multiple objects at a time, click Batch Edit in the upper-right corner of the Selected Objects section. For more information, see Map multiple object names at a time.
      Note 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.
      Filter data

      You can specify WHERE conditions to filter data. For more information, see Use SQL conditions to filter data.

      Select the SQL operations to be migrated In the Selected Objects section, right-click an object. In the dialog box that appears, select the DDL and DML operations that you want to migrate. For more information, see SQL operations that can be migrated.
    • Advanced SettingsAdvanced Settings
      Parameter Description
      Set Alerts
      Specify whether to set alerts for the data migration task. If the task fails or the migration latency exceeds the threshold, the alert contacts will receive notifications.
      • Select No if you do not want to set alerts.
      • Select Yes to set alerts. In this case, you must also set the alert threshold and alert contacts.
      Capitalization of Object Names in Destination Instance

      Specify the capitalization of database names, table names, and column names in the destination instance. By default, DTS default policy is selected. You can select other options to make sure that the capitalization of object names is consistent with that of the source or destination database. For more information, see Specify the capitalization of object names in the destination instance.

      Replicate Temporary Tables When DMS Performs DDL Operations
      If you use Data Management (DMS) to perform online DDL operations on the source database, you can specify whether to migrate temporary tables generated by online DDL operations.
      • 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 migration task may be delayed.
      • 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 ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance may be locked.
      Retry Time for Failed Connections
      Specify the retry time for failed connections. Valid values: 10 to 1440. Unit: minutes. Default value: 120. We recommend that you set the retry time to more than 30 minutes. If DTS reconnects to the source and destination databases within the specified time, DTS resumes the data migration task. Otherwise, the data migration task fails.
      Note
      • If multiple DTS instances have the same source or destination database, the lowest value takes effect. For example, the retry time is set to 30 minutes for Instance A and 60 minutes for Instance B, DTS retries failed connections at an interval of 30 minutes.
      • When DTS retries a connection, you are charged for the DTS instance. We recommend that you specify the retry time based on your business needs. You can also release the DTS instance at your earliest opportunity after the source and destination instances are released.
  7. In the lower part of the page, click Next: Save Task Settings and 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.
  8. Wait until the Success Rate becomes 100%. Then, click Next: Purchase Instance.
  9. On the Purchase Instance page, specify the Instance Class parameter for the data migration instance. The following table describes the parameter.
    Section Parameter Description
    Parameters Instance Class

    DTS provides several instance classes that have different performance in migration speed. You can select an instance class based on your business scenario. For more information, see Specifications of data migration instances.

  10. Read and select Data Transmission Service (Pay-as-you-go) Service Terms.
  11. Click Buy and Start to start the data migration task. You can view the progress of the task in the task list.