Migrate Render PostgreSQL: Multi-tenant relational data

Summary

Move PostgreSQL data from Render PostgreSQL to Ample, one component at a time. Destination verified on Ample: a tenant column on every row and query, with a cross-tenant read returning nothing (tenant_isolation=ok). Source procedure: Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc using the external connection string. Not migrated automatically: Render's automatic backups and read replicas 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 Render database until confirmed. Rollback: keep the source untouched until you confirm; nothing at the source is changed or deleted by this guide.

Prerequisites

• Authorized access to the Render 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

Migration Source

Render PostgreSQL

Workflow Steps

1. Inventory the source
   List what Render PostgreSQL provides beyond the component you are moving. Out of scope here: Render's automatic backups and read replicas have no equivalent on the managed database.
2. Source step 1
   Take a logical backup with pg_dump -Fc using the external connection string.
3. Source step 2
   Check the Postgres major version and extensions against the managed engine (PostgreSQL 16).
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.
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/multi-tenant-relational-data).
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 Render database 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.

Examples

• Express pattern fixture (destination)
  Verified destination basis: multi-tenant relational data.

Success Checks

• Destination app responds on its public URL
  Expected: ample canary express patterns.
• Multi-tenant relational data check from the destination example
  Expected: see the pattern fixture checks.
• Data or object counts and checksums match the source
  Expected: operator comparison before cutover.

Limitations

• Documentation only: nothing is executed automatically and no execution binding is offered.
• The source-side procedure is documented from Render PostgreSQL's standard tooling and was not executed in this catalog's evidence; the destination side was verified with the pattern fixture.
• No full source-product parity is claimed: Render's automatic backups and read replicas have no equivalent on the managed database.
• Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures on the managed side are not verified beyond the pattern checks.