Amazon Web Services (AWS) this week announced the availability of the AWS Database Migration Service, a managed service that allows users to migrate their databases to AWS “with virtually no downtime,” to all customers. 

The AWS Database Migration Service supports migrations between similar and different database platforms, according to AWS.

In addition, the service allows users to migrate their data to and from most widely used commercial and open-source databases, including:

“The AWS Database Migration Service works by setting up and then managing a replication instance on AWS. This instance unloads data from the source database and loads it into the destination database, and can be used for a one-time migration followed by on-going replication to support a migration that entails minimal downtime,” AWS Chief Evangelist Jeff Barr wrote in a blog post. “The service also monitors the replication and the health of the instance, notifies you if something goes wrong and automatically provisions a replacement instance if necessary.”

​AWS also noted that customers only pay for the compute resources used during the migration process and any additional log storage, and migrating a terabyte-size database can be done for as little as $3.

The AWS Database Migration Service preview was unveiled at re:Invent 2015, and customers have used the service move more than 1,000 databases to the AWS Cloud since January, AWS said.

Many of these customers leveraged the AWS Schema Conversion Tool to switch database engines, AWS said, and “break free from the cost and complexity of old guard commercial databases.”

The AWS Database Migration Service is now available in the following regions:

AWS pointed out that it will expand the AWS Database Migration Service to additional regions in the coming months as well. 

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