Planning your migration from MySQL to SQL Server

By: Tibor Nagy

Overview

Migration projects are always complex assignments. They require careful planning, proper execution and often on the fly troubleshooting.

Explanation

The migration starts with planning. First of all you have to get familiar with MS SQL Server to utilitize its features. At first glance it will seem unusual that it has only one storage engine although it is ACID compliant.

You have to consider the following database migration steps:

• Choose your target SQL Server edition and install it.
• Decide about the mapping of MySQL databases to MS SQL databases. Maybe you would like to consolidate more databases into one database under different schemas.
• Make a conversion plan for your database objects (tables, indexes, views, procedures, functions, constrains, triggers).
• Create a data type mapping plan.
• Check the syntax of your procedures and functions.
• Perform migration: convert your database and migrate data.
• Configure your applications to use the SQL Server database.

Additional Information

• Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant for MySQL at Microsoft download page
• SQL Server 2008 Migration White Papers at Microsoft download page