AWS Database Migration Service
AWS Database Migration Service
AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) API migrates and continuously syncs data between databases — heterogeneous migration (Oracle to PostgreSQL), CDC real-time sync.
Supports nearly all mainstream databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.)
Complex schemas (stored procedures, custom types) require manual migration
CreateReplicationInstance for the migration instance → CreateEndpoint for source/target → CreateReplicationTask to start the migration job.
Uptime · 30-day window
GitHub activity
About this API
DMS is AWS's core tool for migrating enterprises to the cloud. The biggest cloud-migration obstacle is often the database — decade-old Oracle stored procedures, SQL Server running core systems, self-managed MySQL with hundreds of GB. How to move these to AWS RDS/Aurora without days of downtime? DMS offers two modes: full load (one-time full copy with short downtime window) and CDC (continuously captures source-side changes and replays to target, enabling minute-level cutover). Combined with Schema Conversion Tool (SCT), can auto-convert Oracle/SQL Server schemas to open-source databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) — not 100% automatic but covers 80-90% of simple schemas. Standard tool for migrating from commercial to open-source databases (reducing license costs).
What you can build
- 1Migrate Oracle/SQL Server to AWS RDS/Aurora
- 2Hybrid cloud data sync (on-prem MySQL to AWS)
- 3CDC streams production database changes to analytical warehouse
- 4Database re-platforming (MySQL to Aurora)
Strengths & limitations
Strengths
- Supports nearly all mainstream databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.)
- Continuous sync during migration enables minimal-downtime cutover
- Pairs with SCT tool to auto-convert schemas
Limitations
- Complex schemas (stored procedures, custom types) require manual migration
- Complex transactions occasionally have ordering issues in CDC mode
- Sync performance heavily depends on source/target network
Getting started
CreateReplicationInstance for the migration instance → CreateEndpoint for source/target → CreateReplicationTask to start the migration job.
FAQ
Can I migrate out of AWS (e.g. AWS to Azure)?+
Technically yes — DMS supports any source to any target. But cross-cloud network cost and latency are limiting factors.
Does CDC mode guarantee zero data loss?+
In theory, yes — provided target-side write failures are properly retried. Run a consistency check before production cutover.
Technical details
- Auth type
- unknown
- Pricing
- unknown
- Protocols
- REST
- SDKs
- python, javascript, go, java, csharp
- Response time
- 44 ms
- Last health check
- 6/26/2026, 6:22:15 AM
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