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Microsoft tests tool for migrating MySQL to SQL Server

By | January 11, 2010, 10:54am PST

Summary: Ever since Oracle made overtures to buy Sun (and get MySQL in the process), Microsoft’s been more of a MySQL foe than friend. Given that context, it’s probably not too surprising that Microsoft is readying a tool designed to help customers migrate from MySQL to SQL Server and/or SQL Azure, Microsoft’s cloud-hosted version of its database

It’s no secret that even though MySQL has been a Microsoft partner, it also is a Microsoft competitor. And ever since Oracle made overtures to buy Sun and (get MySQL in the process), Microsoft’s been even more of a foe.

Given that context, it’s probably not too surprising that Microsoft is readying a tool designed to help customers migrate from MySQL to SQL Server and/or SQL Azure, Microsoft’s cloud-hosted version of its database. That tool is currently in the early test stage (Community Technology Preview 1), and is downloadable from the Microsoft Download Center.

The MySQL migration tool is part of the Microsoft SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) toolkit. According to a recent post on Microsoft’s Data Platform Insider blog:

“A new addition to the SSMA family is the CTP version 1.0 for MySQL that provides an assessment of migration efforts as well as automates schema and data migration from MySQL to SQL Server. Freely download and preview this tool now.”

The version of the My SQL migration tool that supports SQL Server 2008 is designed to work with MySQL 4.1, 5.0 and 5.1. The version that supports SQL Server 2005 also supports MySQL 4.1, 5.0 and 5.1.

If Oracle’s acquisition of Sun/MySQL does go through, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Oracle release a SQL Server to MySQL migration tool… Long live the database wars!

I’ve asked Microsoft for more information as to when the final version of the tool will be available and whether it will cost anything. I’ll update once I hear back.

Update (January 13): More details from a Microsoft spokesperson: When the final version of the MySQL migration tool goes live in the summer of 2010, it will remain a free toolkit.

Also: MySQL is the latest addition to the tools that are part of the Migration Assistant pack. Microsoft already offers migration tools for moving customers from Oracle, Sybase and Access to SQL Server. It also offers an analyzer for PowerBuilder, the spokesperson said. Since the SQL Server Migration Assistants for Oracle became avaialble in June, 2005, there have been more than 250,000 downloads of them, she added.

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Topics

Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Server, Microsoft Corp., Tool, Databases, Open Source, Enterprise Software, Software, Data Management, Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

Disclosure

Mary-Jo Foley

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have no business ventures that are sponsored by/funded by Microsoft or any of its partners or competitors.

Biography

Mary-Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 25 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She has kept close tabs on Microsoft strategy, products and technologies for the past 10 years. In the late 1990s, she penned the award-winning "At The Evil Empire" column for ZDNet, and more recently the Microsoft Watch blog for Ziff Davis.

Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.

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RE: Microsoft tests tool for migrating MySQL to SQL Server
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
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0 Votes
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no takers...
Linux Geek 11th Jan 2010
who would want to go to a more expensive and inferior product?

If Oracle?s acquisition of Sun/MySQL does go through, I wouldn?t be surprised to see Oracle release a SQL Server to MySQL migration tool? .
Oracle is more pragmatic than M$ to play this silly game.
They will make a free tool to 'upgrade' you from mysql to Oracle.
0 Votes
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You are moron!
whitenight2010 11th Jan 2010
Once orac$e complete acquisition, mysql users will free to others such as MariaDB, etc.
0 Votes
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I'm Happy With MySQL...
WarhavenSC 11th Jan 2010
... and its complete lack of CAL fees.
0 Votes
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linux geek
Aussie_Troll 11th Jan 2010
Sure, and with all the politics, uncertainty and fear and doubt about MySQL, and FOSS in general, this kind of issue will become more and more common.

If you sell you're product to a publicly listed company, YOU SOLD it, therefore you no longer have control over it, and if you did what mySQL developers have done, and sign the copyright over to SUN, then expect a publicly listed company to be subject of a buyout or hostile takeover.

And with the new company owning full copyright on that GPL'd code, there is NO reason they cannot revoke that license, and remove it from the GPL, and I expect that to happen too.

Also while FOSS is fighting each other, and having mini wars between FOSS and OSS, RMS and Linus, and attacks on FOSS companies like Novell.

Ofcouse businesses will look for a more safe environment to store their data.

And like it or not, MS create very good product, and the cost is very low, and the risk of a MySQL type thing happening is greatly reducted.

This is a clear case of FOSS generating FUD about FOSS. And do you think that does FOSS any good.

No wonder MS is going to cash in on the implosion of FOSS, and the failure of the GPL.

The Minute Oracle annound they will no longer support a GPL MySQL, and they announce that they own the copyright to the existing code, that means YOU CANNOT FOLK IT.

Oh btw; there are also patents held by SUN and now oracle regarding MySQL which is another barrier to it being folked.

So FOSS tried to turn a quick dollar, by selling MySQL to SUN and now they want to take it back.

The world does not work that way, and the more the zealots for FOSS in fight the more damage you are doing to FOSS.

I would love FOSS to be good, and devoid of politics, ego's and infighting, but sadly that's never going to happen.

This is actually a good thing for FOSS if it is possible for them to learn some lessons about how the world works, (the REAL world).

But knowing FOSS, they will not learn a thing from this and just ***** and complain, boycott and whine.

So im glad MS is smart enough to know when to take up the slack, and this will show vast numbers of users, that they can trust MS to provide support and to take away alot of the uncertainty.

This is a massive plus for MS, and a D grade for FOSS.

And the more you complain about it, and show what is wrong with the oracle deal, the more uncertain people will be about FOSS, and the more confident they will be with MS.

As for MS's stability and quality, Im guessing Linux Geek, you have not used windows for MS applications for mabye 15 years or so, because you're opinions of it are NOT the opions of the hundreds of millions of happy and totally satisified MS users.
0 Votes
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Agreed, but...
SystemVoid 11th Jan 2010
"As for MS's stability and quality, Im guessing
Linux Geek, you have not used windows for MS
applications for mabye 15 years or so, because
you're opinions of it are NOT the opions of the
hundreds of millions of happy and totally
satisified MS users."

Linux Geek is a narcissistic, elitist that
offers little value to any of the posts he
responds to. Finding any excuse to bash MS is
hardly going to earn non-MS or (F)OSS any real
points. Besides, I can't imagine what he does
all day.. He's always the first to respond to
any story on this website.. kinda sad.

However, I find it hard to believe that anyone
using MySql is going to want to convert over to
SQL Server. The licencing restrictions and
pricing scheme for SQL Server is absurd
compared to MySql.

Why pay $20,000 to run SQL Server on your
servers, when you can use MySql for less than
$1,000? SQL Server offers virtually nothing
that MySql can't already do.
0 Votes
+ -
Why Change?
TylerM89 11th Jan 2010
The uncertianity about where MySQL will go is one reason.

Oracle could raise prices, discontinue MySQL, any number of things. It does have it's own database system.

MySQL may be way cheaper, but an issue we always hear about open source is that the product could die tomorrow and without major corporate support, it would hurt customers.

It's all gambling really, people bet on Microsoft for keeping their core products alive.
0 Votes
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comparing MySQL and SQL Server
diane wilson 11th Jan 2010
Why pay $20,000 to run SQL Server on your
servers, when you can use MySql for less than
$1,000? SQL Server offers virtually nothing
that MySql can't already do.

First, for small apps with limited budgets, SQL Server Express is free. There's also an express version of the GUI tool, SQL Server Management Studio.

Second, SQL Server has a tiered pricing model; as you move up the scale, you get quite a bit more. Business analysis services, integrated reporting services, integration services (very flexible bulk import and export), performance profiling tools, and more. At the high end, where it's really competing with Oracle and DB2, not with MySQL, there are many tools for recovery, mirroring, failover, and much more.
0 Votes
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Good Post
bmonsterman 11th Jan 2010
MySQL has high performance at a really low budget. But if you really have that much data and need that much volume of through put, you are probably going to need something in the way of Business Intelligence to make sense of all of it. Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition comes with an Reporting Server (SSRS), an OLAP Server (SSAS) and an ETL Tool (SSIS). MySQL doesn't have any of those things, and Oracle you have to pay extra (and I mean PAY) for that stuff.
0 Votes
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True but...
cabdriverjim 11th Jan 2010
You get similar GUI tools for free with MySQL and its free for any purpose (and well supported if you want to pay). Plus you can get MySQL hosting nearly anywhere for next to nothing. From a single machine up to large clusters. And there are plenty of really tools for migrating, failover, etc but you have to know they exist. Whereas Microsoft and Oracle are jamming all of this information down your throat constantly the very second you indicate any interest. I get so much email from Microsoft and Oracle I can't even tell what's available or useful. And any time I ask someone tries to sell me everything but what I asked for. So, its a tradeoff either way. If you want to be told what you want then Oracle and Microsoft are good options. If you know what you want then maybe not so much.
0 Votes
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TCO.
webmaster@... 12th Jan 2010
Obviously this is dependent on the existing stack. If, for example, this is a LAMP stack, the MSSQL is out of the question. Even when you consider that MSSQL pricing is tiered, as you rightly say, you must also consider the cost of a new server OS. I'm not putting it down, MSSQL is a fantastic RDBMS, but for those using a *nix server environment it's not really an option, especially when you consider the other F/LOSS RDBMS out there; Ingres/PostgeSQL or DB2 Express-C for example.
0 Votes
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FOSS = FUD
whitenight2010 11th Jan 2010
Don't pay them!
0 Votes
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You get the Boiler Bunny prize today
spinit 11th Jan 2010
WTF?

It's FORK, NOT folk!

Whoever told you can revoke a license? You should have given Borland legal advice when they needed it wink

Nobody really gives a toss about who uses MySQL, Linux or FOSS whatever. We use it, works great for us. You don't, your loss. Go get CALs, who cares.

MS cash in on FOSS/GPL implosion? If SCO couldn't put a dent in it, nothing ever will.

Your rant does nothing like fart bubbles in the ocean.

There's more than enough of MySQL MSSQL tools on the market, what's the big f* deal?
0 Votes
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Shows how much you know
crazydanr@... 11th Jan 2010
Nothing like fart bubbles in the ocean? That's a sure sign of crab. Just ask Capt Phil.
0 Votes
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"If you sell you are product?"
Grayson Peddie 11th Jan 2010
Are you a product? grin

happy (for the irony impaired)
0 Votes
+ -
fwiw, you CAN NOT revoke GPL licensed code
bearded-grey 11th Jan 2010
that's part of the license. you may own the copyrights, but once the code is gpl'ed, it STAYs GPL.
0 Votes
+ -
Actually...
Ceridan Updated - 11th Jan 2010
The current version cannot change the license however if you put out another version you can change license if you own the copyrigth...

Anny and all clause that would prevent that would be aggainst laws in most normal countries... idk about US's laws tought
0 Votes
+ -
Two words to MS: Wishful thinking.
D T Schmitz 12th Jan 2010
Not gonna happen.

Even if Oracle decides to 'shelve' MySQL, there will be MariaDB.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Microsoft tests tool for migrating MySQL to SQL Server
jackson1984-24316069205748857739440257893812 10th Oct
Thanks to get a distinct nfl football shop astounding submit. Wherever else could anybody get that kind of materials in this particular type of finest method of composing?

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