Can Azure DMS migrate On-Prem SQL Server to Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server?

Question

Can Azure DMS migrate On-Prem SQL Server to Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server?

Mian Abdul Hanan 0

I have an on-premise SQL Server database that I want to migrate to Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server. Can Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) perform this type of migration (SQL Server ➝ PostgreSQL Flexible Server)?

If not, what is the recommended or supported approach/tool for migrating from SQL Server to Azure PostgreSQL?

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Answer 1

Hi @Mian Abdul Hanan

Thank you for contacting to Microsoft QA.

It sounds like you’re looking to migrate your on-premises SQL Server database to Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server. Unfortunately, Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) does not support direct migrations from SQL Server to PostgreSQL.

However, here are some recommended methods for migrating from SQL Server to Azure Database for PostgreSQL:

Dump and Restore: This method involves creating a backup dump of your SQL Server database and restoring it on PostgreSQL.

Export and Import: You can export your SQL Server data to files and then import those files into PostgreSQL.

Custom Migration Scripts: Utilize custom scripts to move your data and schema manually, ensuring the conversions from SQL types to PostgreSQL types are correctly managed.

Third-Party Tools: Tools like AWS Schema Conversion Tool and others can also help in migrating databases across these platforms.

For more details on these methods, you might want to check the documentation on migrating PostgreSQL databases:

Follow-Up Questions:

To provide more tailored advice, it would be helpful to know:

What version of SQL Server are you currently using?
How large is your database (in terms of data and number of tables)?
Do you have any specific constraints on downtime during migration?
Are there any specific features in your SQL Server database that you need to replicate in PostgreSQL?

Anonymous

2025-12-12T08:11:33.0333333+00:00

Hi @Mian Abdul Hanan

I hope you had a chance to review the information shared earlier, and I hope this information has been helpful! If you still have questions, please let us know what is needed in the comments so the question can be answered.
Anonymous

2025-12-15T05:59:03.6933333+00:00

Hi @Mian Abdul Hanan

If this solution helped resolve your issue, please consider clicking ‘Accept Answer’ or giving it an upvote to help others find it easily.

Answer 2

Azure Database Migration Service (DMS) does not support direct migration from SQL Server to Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server. DMS is primarily designed for migrations between similar database types, such as SQL Server to SQL Database or PostgreSQL to PostgreSQL.

For migrating from SQL Server to Azure PostgreSQL, you can consider using the following approaches:

Data Migration Assistant (DMA): This tool helps assess your SQL Server database for compatibility issues and provides recommendations for migration.
Azure Data Factory: You can use Azure Data Factory to create data pipelines that can move data from SQL Server to PostgreSQL.
Manual Migration: This involves exporting data from SQL Server and importing it into PostgreSQL using tools like pgAdmin or psql.

It's recommended to evaluate your specific requirements and choose the best approach based on your scenario.