Migrate databases to and from AWS RDS instances

Amazon Web Services do not provide tools to migrate data to, from and between AWS RDS instances.

There is a free utility that can do the job.

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), because the utility uses libraries from it.

  1. Download the installer for free from https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt238290.aspx

SQL Azure Migration Wizard

Installation

  1. Download the SQL Azure Migration Wizard from http://sqlazuremw.codeplex.com/
  2. Unzip the downloaded ZIP file into a folder on your hard drive
  3. Create a shortcut in your Start Menu for SQLAzureMW.exe

Migrate a database

  1. Start the SQL Azure Migration Wizard by executing the SQLAzureMW.exe file
  2. Select Database in the Analyze / Migrate section and click Next

Connect to the source database

  1. On the Connect to Server page
    1. Enter the address of the database server
    2. Select SQL Server Authentication
    3. Enter the database owner login name and password
    4. If you keep Master DB selected, the next screen will show the list of databases to select from
    5. To save the username and password select Save Login Information
    6. Click Connect

  2. Select the database to connect to and click Next
  3. Leave Script all database objects selected and click Next
  4. On the Script Wizard Summary page click Next
  5. Click Yes to start the read process
  6. On the Results Summary page select Auto Scroll Display to see the scrolling results
  7. When the read is done click Next

Connect to the target database

  1. Enter the connection properties of the target database server
  2. Select the target database
    1. To migrate the data into a new database click the Create Database button
    2. On mirrored RDS instances we cannot drop and recreate databases. To migrate data into an existing database
      1. Use SQL Management Studio to drop the existing tables to avoid key conflicts
      2. Select the target database on this page
  3. Click Next
  4. Click Yes to start the write process
  5. When the write process is done click Exit

 

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