Migrate Azure Database for PostgreSQL: JSON document metadata

Move PostgreSQL data from Azure Database for PostgreSQL to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: a jsonb column with a GIN index queried by path and containment, with an aggregate over matching documents (json=ok).

Source procedure:

Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc from an allowed network or private endpoint.
Not migrated automatically: Microsoft Entra authentication, zone-redundant HA and PITR have no equivalent on the managed database.

Cutover:

Freeze writes with the user's go-ahead, take the final dump, restore, validate, redeploy with the managed DATABASE_URL, keep the Azure server until confirmed.

Rollback:

Keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

Steps to Migrate:

1. Inventory the source
   List what Azure Database for PostgreSQL provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Microsoft Entra authentication, zone-redundant HA and PITR have no equivalent on the managed database.

2. Source step 1
   Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc from an allowed network or private endpoint.

3. Source step 2
   Check the engine major version, extensions and server parameters the app depends on.

4. Source step 3
   Restore into a scratch managed database first and compare row counts.

5. Provision and restore
   Deploy the app once so a managed PostgreSQL 16 database exists (or create one with ample database create --engine postgres), then restore the dump with pg_restore using its connection string; keep migrations idempotent.

   ample database create --name <name> --engine postgres
   

6. Validate before cutover
   Run the app's own checks and, for data, compare counts and checksums; the example checks are the pattern self-tests (/p/json-document-metadata).

7. Cut over
   Freeze writes with the user's go-ahead, take the final dump, restore, validate, redeploy with the managed DATABASE_URL, keep the Azure server until confirmed.

8. Rollback
   Point DNS or configuration back to the source. The source was never modified; deletion is a separate, user-executed step after validation.

Prerequisites:

• Authorized access to the Azure Database for PostgreSQL source and its export tooling.
• An inventory of every component in scope and out of scope.
• A validated backup or copy before any cutover.
• An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read.

Success Checks:

• Destination app responds on its public URL.
• json-document-metadata check from the destination example.
• Data or object counts and checksums match the source.

Limitations:

• Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
• No full source-product parity is claimed: Microsoft Entra authentication, zone-redundant HA and PITR have no equivalent on the managed database.
• Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; region, compliance and request-duration limits are unknown.

Cost Estimate:

• Currency: USD
• Monthly Amount: 10.0
• Components:
  • App server: size s-1vcpu-1gb, quantity 1.0, monthly amount 5.0
  • Managed PostgreSQL database: size s-1vcpu-1gb, quantity 1.0, monthly amount 5.0

Evidence Summary:

• Destination side verified: the Express pattern fixture deployed on Ample and its checks passed.

Next Actions:

1. Browse the catalog index.
2. Search published recipes by intent, stack and constraints.
3. Prepare a side-effect-free deployment plan for an authorized project.
4. Read the existing agent authentication setup.
5. Browse Azure Database for PostgreSQL.
6. Browse JSON document metadata.
7. Browse Migrate Postgres.