MIGRATION ENGINEERING
How to plan a secure PostgreSQL migration
A step-by-step explanation of inventory, encrypted backup, validation, cutover, rollback, and cleanup for PostgreSQL migrations.
A safe migration copies data through controlled stages instead of treating a move as a single irreversible command.
Inventory before transfer
Start by measuring the source: schemas, tables, indexes, extensions, approximate bytes, and relationships that affect restore order. Inventory creates a concrete validation target.
A migration quote or plan should describe the estimated scope without exposing credentials or raw connection strings.
Protect the source and the backup
A migration should copy the source rather than destroy it. Encrypted artifacts, short-lived access, and a defined retention window reduce the consequences of an interrupted operation.
Connection strings and secrets should never appear in logs, emails, browser responses, or error messages.
Validate before cutover
Validation should compare the destination against the expected inventory and confirm that the restored database is usable. Customer confirmation belongs at the cutover boundary when the workflow requires a final decision.
A rollback path is part of the design, not an afterthought.