Why and How to Switch from Oracle to PostgreSQL

December 11, 2024

Modern organizations need a modern database infrastructure, and legacy solutions just can’t keep up. For enterprises looking to leave Oracle behind, the path forward is increasingly clear: PostgreSQL is not just an alternative—it’s a strategic advantage. With rising licensing costs, inflexible support policies, and the need for modern, scalable databases, migrating to Postgres offers freedom, innovation, and cost-efficiency. But making the move isn’t a simple lift-and-shift. It requires deep technical knowledge, thoughtful planning, and expert execution.

At EDB, our Postgres experts are highly skilled at guiding customers through this transformation. In our upcoming webinar, Why and How to Switch from Oracle to PostgreSQL, our team will be sharing invaluable insights on why enterprises are making this switch—and how to do it right. Led by EDB Senior Sales Engineer Ton Machielsen and EDB Sales Engineer Mostafa Zakaria, this webinar will also offer partner insights from Pythagoras Papadimitriou, General Manager at Cloudway.

Keep reading for a preview of the takeaways you can anticipate in this informative webinar.

Why Enterprises Are Breaking Free from Oracle

The drive to migrate away from Oracle stems from a combination of financial, technical, and strategic factors. Organizations are increasingly frustrated with Oracle’s expensive licensing models, audits, and lack of flexibility. PostgreSQL, as an open-source database, offers a community-driven model that avoids vendor lock-in while providing advanced capabilities.

As Ton explains “Companies are no longer willing to be locked into rigid licensing models. PostgreSQL, especially with EDB's enhancements, offers a pathway to freedom without sacrificing performance or reliability.”

But freedom comes with challenges. Oracle databases are deeply entrenched in business-critical applications, and migrating them requires addressing compatibility, schema translation, and performance optimization.

The Path to a Successful Migration: Technical Insights

Migrating from Oracle to PostgreSQL is not just about copying data; it involves transforming schemas, rewriting procedural code, and ensuring performance parity—or better. EDB provides tools like EDB Migration Toolkit (MTK) and expertise that streamline this process. Yet, the real value lies in understanding how to approach complex migrations, particularly for PL/SQL code and Oracle-specific features.

One of the most critical challenges is translating Oracle's PL/SQL to PostgreSQL's PL/pgSQL. Ton says, “It’s not just syntax—it’s about understanding the nuances of transaction handling, error management, and performance tuning in Postgres,” 

To address these challenges, EDB offers a combination of automated tools and human expertise. For example, EDB’s Oracle-compatible Postgres bridges the gap by supporting common Oracle functions and syntax directly in PostgreSQL.

Benchmarking is another essential part of the Oracle to Postgres migration process because it provides a performance baseline to measure how the new PostgreSQL system compares to the legacy Oracle system, ensuring expectations are met. It also helps identify potential bottlenecks or configuration issues early, allowing for optimization before the system goes live. “Benchmarking your Postgres performance against Oracle early in the migration process helps ensure you can meet or exceed SLAs. It's a key step to avoid surprises and fine-tune configurations,” says Mostafa.

Cloudway: Bringing Integration Expertise to the Migration Journey

A successful migration requires more than just technology—it requires the right services and integration expertise. That’s why we are thrilled to have Cloudway General Manager Pythagoras Papadimitriou joining us for this webinar to share his unique Oracle migration experience and insights. Cloudway, a trusted EDB partner in the Mediterranean region, acts as both a system integrator and reseller. Their role is pivotal: EDB provides the technology, and Cloudway delivers the hands-on services to ensure a seamless migration journey.

“We bring the technology, and they bring the service that goes with it. Migration is an integration journey, and Cloudway’s expertise ensures customers can confidently transition from Oracle to PostgreSQL.” -  Mostafa Zakaria, EDB Sales Engineer  

A recent example of this collaboration is a leading financial institution in Greece, which chose to move its banking application from Oracle to EDB with the support of Cloudway. This partnership ensures that enterprises not only leave behind the constraints of legacy databases but also fully leverage the flexibility of PostgreSQL in their cloud and on-premises environments. 

Why EDB Is the Right Partner for Your Migration

Choosing to migrate to PostgreSQL is a strategic decision; choosing the right partner to execute it is critical. EDB’s proven methodologies, tools, and seasoned consultants ensure that migrations are not just successful but also optimized for long-term growth. From initial assessment and planning to execution and post-migration tuning, EDB delivers end-to-end support.

We’ve helped organizations across industries unlock the full potential of PostgreSQL by moving away from costly Oracle databases. Our expertise in compatibility, performance optimization, and cloud-native deployments ensures that our customers don’t just migrate—they modernize.

Join the Conversation

If your organization is evaluating a move from Oracle to PostgreSQL, don’t miss the opportunity to learn directly from our experts.

📅 Date: December 17, 2024
🕛 Time: 12:00 PM EET | 11:00 AM CET
🔗 Register Here

Explore the “why” and “how” of migrating to PostgreSQL and take the first step toward database freedom with EDB.

 

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