The When, Why & How in Switching to Open Source Databases

Percona’s Ann Schlemmer offers insights on the when, why and how in switching to open-source databases. This article originally appeared on Solutions Review’s Insight Jam, an enterprise IT community enabling the human conversation on AI.

Believe it or not, you’re ready to adopt.

For well over a decade, enterprise adoption of open-source database technologies has been on a steady rise. In fact, as of 2023, over 78 percent of businesses use at least one piece of open-source software in their technology stack. And for the few that don’t, it’s important to remember that open-source code and components are used in over 90 percent of all software in the world — including proprietary tools.

At this point, it’s safe to say that the once-outsider open-source model has gone mainstream.
That being said, migrating to open source databases (or any databases, for that matter) is not without its challenges. As a 16-year veteran of the open-source industry and the CEO of Percona, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about open-source accessibility — especially when it comes to making the adoption and operation of open-source databases as painless and profitable as possible.

In this article, I’d like to share some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years — with the primary goal of helping more people make the switch to open-source databases and begin reaping the many benefits they have to offer.

The True Benefits of Open Source: Far More Than Mere Cost Savings

Open-source databases have matured tremendously over the years. Both long-standing solutions (such as PostgreSQL and MongoDB) as well as more recent arrivals (like Clickhouse and Valkey) have made enterprise-readiness a standard for the ecosystem. As a result, more and more of today’s open-source database technologies are matching (if not surpassing) proprietary systems in terms of performance, reliability, security, and so on. In many ways, open-source databases have actually surpassed proprietary solutions, offering a host of advantages, including the freedom and flexibility to adapt and personalize one’s data infrastructure however and whenever one sees fit.

Unlike proprietary databases, which are often locked into specific architectures or licensing models, open-source databases can be customized to meet the unique needs of an organization. This adaptability allows businesses to fine-tune their databases for performance, cost, or scalability without being bound to a vendor’s restrictions. By eliminating this phenomenon of vendor lock-in, open-source databases offer unparalleled adaptability, allowing organizations to pivot and make strategic changes to their database infrastructure and operations in a flash, making it possible to keep up with technology’s unrelenting pace of change.

Additionally, the large, talented, and vibrant open-source community is continuously working to innovate and improve upon their projects — benefiting from the combined time, energy, and talents of the community to remain at the cutting edge of database technology. Thanks to the community’s fierce dedication and unrivaled ingenuity, open-source database users also gain access to an expansive ecosystem of updates, integrations, and extensions that allow organizations to personalize their databases to suit their unique operational needs — something proprietary solutions simply can’t provide.

Finally, the growing open source ecosystem means there’s an expanding pool of talent to draw from. Increasingly, aspiring DBAs and other data experts are cutting their teeth on OS databases such as PostgreSQL and MySQL. As a result, acquiring the necessary talent to adopt, operate, and manage these databases has become easier than ever before.

The Challenges of Database Migration Are Real But Readily Surmountable

Whether moving from one proprietary solution to another or from proprietary to open source, database migration isn’t a simple lift-and-shift operation. It requires careful planning and consideration and can often be quite complex and time-consuming — especially when dealing with sensitive or mission-critical data. Moving data between systems often requires complex transformations, especially if proprietary databases use unique schemas, data types, or encodings. This complexity can cause data quality issues, data loss, misalignment, and downtime if not managed carefully.

To overcome these challenges, organizations should develop detailed migration plans that include data mapping, transformation, and validation processes. Tools like Apache NiFi, Talend, or custom ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) pipelines can automate and streamline data transformation and transfer, making the process orders of magnitude safer, faster, and easier. Plus, although many people don’t like to consider (or even talk about) it, there is another option available if something goes seriously wrong during the migration —  the rollback. No one wants to do it, but sometimes, we may need to step back, rethink, adjust, and move forward again.

Security and compliance are also key considerations, as enterprises must ensure that their data remains safe before, during, and after the transition. While proprietary databases often have built-in security features, they can typically be recreated or replaced with open-source equivalents without great effort. Organizations should also be sure to implement robust security practices, such as encryption, access controls, and regular audits.

Finally, organizations making the jump to open-source may worry about losing the kinds of built-in vendor support offerings and SLAs that are more common among proprietary tools. This lack of guaranteed, out-of-the-box support can be unnerving; however, many open-source solutions have enterprise versions available, which include support options (e.g., Percona for PostgreSQL, etc). Alternatively, one can work with third-party support providers. These solutions give you similar levels of support and service while maintaining the inherent benefits of open-source.

When to Make the Move: If Not Yesterday, Then Today

Given the immense benefits and lack of real downsides associated with modern open source databases, I often tell people that the best time to make the switch is yesterday — with the next best time being today. The sooner a company migrates, the sooner it can start reaping the many benefits of open source. Conversely, the longer a company delays, the harder it will become to make the switch later on.

Even more importantly, though, companies that drag their feet on OS adoption may run the risk of falling behind their competitors. Proprietary databases often lock organizations into vendor ecosystems that can be costly and restrictive. Meanwhile, organizations leveraging open-source solutions are likely to benefit from reduced costs, increased innovation, and faster deployment cycles. As a result, the longer an enterprise waits to migrate, the harder it becomes to remain competitive in the marketplace.

Beyond the initial cost benefits, open-source databases reduce long-term licensing fees and vendor dependencies. What’s more, many open-source solutions are designed to scale easily and perform at an enterprise level, giving younger companies room to grow quickly and larger companies the scale and sophistication they need to store and manage large data volumes.

Embrace the Future of Databases — Embrace Open Source

While it would be disingenuous of me not to at least acknowledge my own biases on the subject, I firmly believe that the future of database technologies will be open source. As OS databases and their surrounding ecosystems become larger and more mature by the day, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify the use of proprietary solutions. What’s more, the OS community continues to improve and build upon the most popular OS DB solutions (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) at a pace that proprietary vendors simply cannot match.

The steady rise of open-source databases isn’t just a trend; it’s a signal of where the industry is headed. The future of databases will be dynamic, open, and extensible, and enterprises that migrate now will be better positioned to take advantage of these benefits — as well as cost savings, scalability, and innovation — while avoiding the limitations of proprietary systems. By making the move today, organizations can future-proof their infrastructure and ensure they remain competitive in an increasingly data-driven world.

The time to embrace open-source databases is now. Will your organization be ready?