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How DasMeta Migrated a High-Traffic MySQL Database to AWS Aurora with 99.9% Uptime

Migrating a production database while keeping services up and running is no easy task — especially when that database handles 500+ requests per second across multiple web applications.

At DasMeta, we recently tackled this exact challenge. Our goal: move a 20 GB+ on-premise MySQL database to AWS Aurora, ensure data integrity, and maintain near-perfect uptime. The result? A smooth transition with 99.9% availability, better performance, and significantly reduced infrastructure costs.

Here’s how we made it happen.

The Problem: Outgrowing On-Premise Infrastructure

Our legacy MySQL environment had served us well, but we were hitting clear limitations:

▪ Scaling for high traffic was becoming increasingly difficult

▪ Hardware maintenance and manual backups consumed valuable engineering time

▪ Disaster recovery processes were too manual and too slow

▪ Five separate web applications accessed the same database, further increasing complexity

We knew we needed a cloud-native solution that could grow with us. After evaluating our options, AWS Aurora MySQL stood out for its performance, flexibility, and full compatibility with MySQL.

Choosing the Right Tools for the Job

Initially, we considered using AWS Database Migration Service (DMS), but after internal testing, we decided it wasn’t the right fit for our use case. We wanted more control and transparency.

Instead, we built a custom pipeline using:

mysqldump for the initial snapshot
mysql for restoring the backup on Aurora
Native MySQL replication for syncing changes during testing
Open-source monitoring tools for validating queries and performance

This gave us the control we needed to fine-tune every step of the process.

☁️ Setting Up Aurora: Scalable, Reliable, and Cost-Efficient

We provisioned our Aurora environment with multi-AZ support to guarantee high availability from day one. Aurora’s ability to separate compute and storage helped us design an environment that could scale with demand while keeping costs low.

One of the best parts? Aurora’s MySQL compatibility meant our queries, indexes, and app logic worked out of the box, requiring minimal refactoring.

Running in Parallel: 2 Months of Testing and Validation

We didn’t rush the migration. Instead, we ran the on-premise and Aurora instances in parallel for two months, replicating data in real-time.

During this period:

QA and development teams tested all five web apps against the new Aurora backend
We monitored replication lag, query response times, and IOPS under stress
Performance tuning was done iteratively, addressing slow queries and adjusting indexes

This approach gave us the confidence to proceed with the switch without surprises.

Simplifying the Architecture with ProxySQL

To streamline the switchover across all five applications, we introduced ProxySQL — a high-performance MySQL proxy.

With ProxySQL, we were able to:

Centralize database access through a single entry point
Seamlessly redirect traffic between environments
Handle connection pooling and failover
Improve observability and simplify rollback if needed

This abstraction layer gave us a safe buffer and made integration far easier.

The Final Cutover: Smooth, Fast, and Nearly Invisible

Once everything was aligned — data validated, apps tested, replication synced — we scheduled the cutover.

Thanks to ProxySQL, switching to Aurora was just a matter of redirecting traffic. We completed the transition with:

Zero data loss
99.9% uptime
No visible disruption to users or services

Results That Matter

Beyond the successful migration, we saw real improvements:

Query performance improved under load
Infrastructure overhead dropped significantly
Scaling for future traffic is now effortless
Our DevOps team can focus on growth, not maintenance

We built a future-ready system that supports our ambitions — and our clients’ needs.

Final Thoughts from DasMeta

At DasMeta, we approach every infrastructure project with a clear focus: performance, reliability, and smart engineering.

This migration wasn’t just about moving data — it was about building a more resilient, scalable foundation for our systems and clients. Aurora helped us do that, and with the right tools and planning, we did it with confidence.

Thinking About Your Own Migration?

If your company is facing similar limitations with on-premise systems or legacy databases, we’d be happy to share insights or help guide your migration strategy.

Get in touch with DasMeta — and let’s build scalable, cloud-native systems that grow with your business.