A global automotive manufacturer needs to migrate a legacy product lifecycle management (PLM) system from an on-premises data center to AWS. The PLM system is a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) application with a complex, multi-terabyte Oracle database. The manufacturer has a strict data residency requirement that mandates the database must remain within a specific geographical region, and they need to minimize the database migration downtime to less than one hour. The application servers can be replatformed to EC2 instances. Which combination of services and strategies should the Solutions Architect recommend for migrating the Oracle database while meeting the stringent requirements?
- AUse AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with Change Data Capture (CDC) to migrate the Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle, followed by a cutover.
- BExport the Oracle database to S3, then import it into a new Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-compatible database instance.
- CPerform a 'Lift and Shift' of the Oracle database to an EC2 instance running Oracle, then configure Data Guard for replication.
- DEstablish an AWS Direct Connect connection, then use Oracle Data Guard to set up a standby database in Amazon EC2, followed by a role switch.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) with Change Data Capture (CDC) to migrate the Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle, followed by a cutover.
AWS DMS with CDC enables continuous replication from an on-premises Oracle database to Amazon RDS for Oracle, minimizing downtime during the cutover. RDS for Oracle is a fully managed service that supports data residency and meets the requirements for a multi-terabyte commercial database with minimal downtime.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Migrating from Oracle to Aurora PostgreSQL is a re-platforming effort that involves significant schema and code changes, which is not implied by the problem statement and would likely exceed the one-hour downtime target.
- C. While possible, 'Lift and Shift' to EC2 for Oracle offers less management overhead reduction compared to RDS and Data Guard configuration would add complexity, not directly addressing the minimal downtime for the *migration* itself as efficiently as DMS.
- D. Using Oracle Data Guard to EC2 is a valid DR strategy, but DMS with CDC is generally preferred for *migration* to a fully managed RDS instance for operational simplicity and often lower downtime for the cutover itself.
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)
AWS DMS is a cloud service that helps you migrate relational databases, data warehouses, NoSQL databases, and other types of data stores. It supports homogeneous and heterogeneous migrations, and can perform one-time migrations or continuous data replication (CDC).
- Supports various database engines
- Enables homogeneous (e.g., Oracle to Oracle) and heterogeneous (e.g., Oracle to PostgreSQL) migrations
- Supports continuous data replication (CDC) for minimal downtime migrations
- Managed service, reduces operational overhead
Memory trick: DMS Delivers Data Smoothly, Minimizing Downtime.