Migrate external Redis®* databases to Aiven for Dragonfly®#

Redis is an in-memory data structure store commonly used as a database, cache, message broker, and queue. The Aiven Console provides an intuitive wizard to facilitate the migration of your external Redis databases to Aiven for Dragonfly.

Important

The migration of databases from Google Cloud Memorystore for Redis is not supported at this time.

Compatibility overview#

Before migrating an external Redis database to Aiven for Dragonfly, carefully review your current Redis setup.

  • Review database setup: Examine your Redis database’s data structures, storage patterns, and configurations.Identify any unique features, custom settings, and specific configurations.

  • API compatibility: While Dragonfly closely mirrors Redis API commands, there may be variations, especially with newer versions of Redis. For detailed insights on command compatibility, refer to the Dragonfly API compatibility documentation.

Prerequisites#

Before starting the migration process, ensure you have the following:

  • A target Aiven for Dragonfly service set up and ready. For setup instructions, see to Get started with Aiven for Dragonfly®.

  • Source database information:

    • Hostname or connection string: The public hostname, connection string, or IP address used to connect to the database, which should be accessible from the public Internet.

    • Port: The port number used for connecting to the database.

    • Username: The username with appropriate permissions for accessing the database data you intend to migrate.

    • Password: The password associated with the username.

  • Ensure firewalls allow traffic between databases or disable them temporarily.

  • Using an SSL-secured connection for data transfer is highly recommended during the source Redis database migration.

  • If the source Redis service is not publicly accessible, establish a VPC peering connection between the private networks. You will need the VPC ID and cloud name for the migration.

Note

Instances such as AWS ElastiCache for Redis that do not have public IP addresses will require a VPC and peering connection to establish a migration.

Database migration steps#

To migrate a Redis database to Aiven for Dragonfly:

  1. Log in to the Aiven Console and select the Aiven for Dragonfly service to which you want to migrate your Redis database.

  2. Navigate to Service settings from the sidebar.

  3. Scroll to the Service management section and use the ellipsis to view additional menu options.

  4. Select Import database to initiate the import process.

Step 1: Configure#

Start by reviewing the database migration configuration guidelines. Confirm compatibility with Dragonfly and proceed as follows:

  • Select Import an external Redis database.

  • Click Get started to begin the migration.

Step 2: Validation#

Enter the required details to establish a connection with your source Redis database:

  • Hostname: The public hostname, connection string, or IP address for the database connection.

  • Port: The port number used for connections.

  • Username: The username required to access your database.

  • Password: The password for database access.

  • Select the SSL encryption option for a secure migration and click Run check to verify the connection.

Important

Address any issues that arise to ensure a smooth migration. Note that not all components of your Redis setup will be migrated. User accounts, ACLs, configurations, and active commands or scripts will not be transferred, but all database data and its content will be.

Step 3: Migration#

Once all the necessary checks have been completed successfully, you can proceed with the migration process.

  • Select Start migration to initiate the data migration process to Aiven for Dragonfly.

Migration in progress#

During the migration, you can:

  • Close the migration wizard by clicking Close window and later return to monitor the migration status from the service overview page.

  • The duration of the migration depends on the size of your database. During migration, the target database will be in a read-only state. Writing to the database is only possible once the migration is stopped.

  • Certain managed database features will be disabled while the migration is in progress.

  • If needed, halt the migration by selecting Stop migration. Previously migrated data will remain on Aiven.

Warning

  • Stopping this migration will immediately halt the ongoing replication process, preserving the data already transferred to Aiven. You have the option to initiate a new database migration at any time in the future, which will overwrite the entire database and its contents on Aiven with the latest data from the source.

  • Avoid actions that could disrupt the replication process, such as changing replication configurations or firewall settings.

Step 4 - Close and post-migration steps#

Once the migration is complete:

  • Click Close connection to end replication.

  • Click Keep replicating to maintain ongoing data synchronization.

Warning

System updates or any configuration changes during replication may restart nodes and trigger a new database migration. Before making any modifications, confirm that replication is either complete or stopped.

Replication Mode Active?

Newly added data to the original Redis database will continue to sync with your Aiven for Dragonfly service until you decide to stop replication.