Question 1

What's the difference between AWS DMS and AWS Schema Conversion Tool (SCT)?

Accepted Answer

AWS DMS moves the data (and can keep it in sync using continuous replication). AWS SCT converts database schemas and some code (like stored procedures) when you’re changing database engines (for example, Oracle to PostgreSQL). In many projects, you use SCT first to prepare the target schema, then DMS to migrate and replicate the data.

Question 2

When should I use AWS DMS?

Accepted Answer

Use AWS DMS when you need to migrate a database to AWS with minimal downtime, especially if you want continuous replication while you test the new environment. It’s a good fit for lift-and-shift migrations (same engine) and for heterogeneous migrations (different engines) when combined with schema conversion. It’s also useful for ongoing replication use cases, such as feeding analytics systems or maintaining a secondary copy for transition periods.

Question 3

How much does AWS DMS cost?

Accepted Answer

AWS DMS pricing is mainly based on the replication instance you run (size and hours), plus any additional resources you use (storage, data transfer, source/target database costs, and logging/monitoring). Costs increase with higher change rates, larger datasets, longer replication windows, and larger replication instances. A common cost-control approach is to right-size the replication instance, stop it when not needed, and minimize the duration of parallel run/replication.

DMS

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