Database Migration from Oracle to PostgreSQL for UAE Enterprises

Many UAE enterprises are migrating from Oracle to PostgreSQL to reduce licensing costs. Here's a practical guide to planning and executing this migration.

Oracle database licensing costs are a significant burden for UAE enterprises, often consuming millions of dirhams annually. PostgreSQL — the world's most advanced open-source database — offers comparable enterprise features without licensing fees. For many UAE organizations, migrating from Oracle to PostgreSQL can reduce database costs by 80% or more.

Assessing Migration Complexity

Migration complexity depends on how deeply your applications use Oracle-specific features. Simple migrations involve standard SQL and basic PL/SQL stored procedures. Moderate complexity includes Oracle-specific data types, packages, and materialized views. Complex migrations involve Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC), advanced partitioning, or heavy use of Oracle-specific functions.

Schema and Data Migration

Tools like AWS Schema Conversion Tool and ora2pg automate much of the schema conversion from Oracle to PostgreSQL. However, manual review is essential for PL/SQL stored procedures (convert to PL/pgSQL), Oracle-specific functions (map to PostgreSQL equivalents), and data type mappings (NUMBER to NUMERIC, VARCHAR2 to VARCHAR).

Application Code Changes

Applications using Oracle-specific SQL syntax or features require code modifications. Use an ORM or database abstraction layer where possible to minimize changes. Audit all SQL queries for Oracle-specific syntax: outer join notation (+), CONNECT BY hierarchical queries, and Oracle date handling. Convert to PostgreSQL-standard equivalents.

Performance Tuning

PostgreSQL's query optimizer works differently from Oracle's. After migration, analyze query performance and tune accordingly: adjust shared_buffers and work_mem settings, create appropriate indexes (PostgreSQL supports B-tree, hash, GIN, and GiST indexes), and use EXPLAIN ANALYZE to identify slow queries. PostgreSQL's parallel query execution and advanced indexing often match or exceed Oracle performance for analytical workloads.

Bayden's database engineers help UAE enterprises plan and execute Oracle to PostgreSQL migrations, from initial assessment through cutover and performance optimization. We minimize risk with parallel-run periods and comprehensive testing.