For many years, MySQL has been one of the most popular relational database management systems owing to its many features, including tight interaction with the web, open-source software flexibility, and on-demand scalability. This is why many firms are ready to shift their databases away from proprietary database management systems with a high total cost of ownership and toward MySQL.
Database migration is a time-consuming and resource-intensive procedure. Fortunately, several software vendors provide specific tools and solutions for database migration automation. MySQL Migration Toolkit is one of such solutions, which was built by Intelligent Converters, a software company specialized in database migration since 2001.
MySQL Migration Toolkit is a collection of tools for migrating databases from SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, MS Access, FoxPro, IBM DB2, SQLite, and Firebird to MySQL and vice versa.
The product makes use of a low-level API and does not rely on any middleware to achieve the highest possible speed for reading and writing data, which is about 20000 rows per second on contemporary hardware. Each tool in the toolbox has a command line interface for scripting and scheduling database migrations. Additionally, there is an option to save conversion parameters to a profile, which makes subsequent runs of the program much more convenient.
To provide flexibility and control over the database conversion process, MySQL Migration Toolkit supports exporting the source database to a local MySQL script file in addition to direct transfer to the MySQL server. The script file includes SQL statements that build all tables, indexes, and constraints, as well as statements that insert data. This approach is appropriate if the destination MySQL server does not permit remote connections. In certain circumstances, the script file is sent over FTP to the MySQL server and then loaded into the MySQL database locally using normal administration tools such as phpMyAdmin.
MySQL Migration Toolkit’s primary capabilities include the following:
- All MySQL versions are supported, including forks such as MariaDB and Percona, as well as SAAS systems.
- conversion of table definitions, data, indexes, constraints, and the majority of views
- When migrating to MySQL, the option to pick the table type/engine (ISAM, MyISAM, HEAP, InnoDB, or BDB) and character set is available.
- The ‘edit table’ function enables you to adjust the column’s name, type, default value, and NULL-attribute.
- opportunity to combine and synchronize tables between the destination and source databases
- complete Unicode support
- a user-friendly wizard-style interface and extensive documentation
The product’s limitations include the following:
- views with syntax patterns that do not have a direct counterpart in the destination database management system may not be converted correctly.
- no support for stored procedures, functions, or triggers
- The free trial version migrates up to fifty rows per table but does not convert foreign keys.
Additional information about the product is available on the vendor’s official website.
