Database Migration: Strategies and Best Practices for 2026

Why migrate your database?Companies migrate their databases for several reasons: reducing licensing costs, improving performance, modernizing infrastructure, or meeting regulatory compliance. In 2026, migration to the cloud and to open source solutions such as PostgreSQL and MariaDB is accelerating.Migration strategiesThe “lift and shift” strategy consists of moving the database without modification. Migration with refactoring involves optimizing the schema and the queries. Progressive migration makes it possible to switch over table by table while minimizing risk.The key steps of a successful migrationThe initial audit assesses complexity and identifies incompatibilities. The testing phase reproduces the target environment and validates each component. Data synchronization ensures consistency during the switchover. A planned rollback secures the operation in the event of failure.Pitfalls to avoidUnderestimating the differences between SQL engines, neglecting post-migration performance testing, forgetting stored procedures and triggers, and planning the migration without involving business teams are the most common mistakes.Source: Franck Pachot, Database Architect at dbi services, Le Monde Informatique, February 2026