How to Migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake in PostgreSQL

Galaxy Glossary

How do I migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake?

Move data, schema, and workloads from MariaDB to Snowflake using dumps, Snowpipe, and SQL rewrite.

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Description

Table of Contents

Why migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake?

Snowflake separates storage and compute, scales on demand, and removes most ops work. Migrating lets teams run large analytical queries, share data securely, and cut hardware costs.

What are the high-level steps?

1️⃣ Export MariaDB schema & data. 2️⃣ Create matching structures in Snowflake. 3️⃣ Load data with COPY or Snowpipe. 4️⃣ Rewrite application SQL. 5️⃣ Validate counts & spot-check rows.6️⃣ Cut over and decommission MariaDB.

How do I export MariaDB data quickly?

Use mysqldump or MariaDB’s COLUMNAR export to create compressed CSV or Parquet files. Split large tables by primary key to parallelize uploads.

How do I create tables in Snowflake?

Generate CREATE TABLE statements with correct data types (e.g., VARCHAR instead of TEXT, NUMBER instead of INT).Store them in a migration script and run with the Snowflake UI or SnowSQL.

How do I bulk-load files into Snowflake?

Stage files in S3/Azure/GCS, then use COPY INTO. For continuous feeds, configure Snowpipe with cloud notifications so new files load automatically.

How do I keep tables in sync during cut-over?

Enable binary log (binlog) replication to Kafka or Fivetran.Stream changes into a staging table, then MERGE into the final Snowflake table until the switchover date.

What SQL changes must I watch for?

Replace AUTO_INCREMENT with IDENTITY or SEQUENCE. Swap NOW() for CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(). Remove engine hints and vendor-specific functions.

How do I verify migration success?

Run COUNT(*), MIN/MAX(id), and checksum queries on each table in both systems.Compare aggregates in a spreadsheet or with a scripted job.

When should I switch my application?

After data parity checks pass, point BI tools and services to Snowflake. Keep the change feed running for rollback until confidence is high.

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Why How to Migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake in PostgreSQL is important

How to Migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake in PostgreSQL Example Usage


-- Identify customers who placed orders worth > $500 after migration
SELECT c.id,
       c.name,
       SUM(o.total_amount) AS lifetime_value
FROM Customers c
JOIN Orders o ON o.customer_id = c.id
GROUP BY c.id, c.name
HAVING SUM(o.total_amount) > 500
ORDER BY lifetime_value DESC;

How to Migrate from MariaDB to Snowflake in PostgreSQL Syntax


-- 1. Export MariaDB data
mysqldump -h mariadb.prod -u admin -p --tab=/exports \
          --fields-terminated-by=',' --fields-enclosed-by='"' \
          galaxy_ecom Customers Orders Products OrderItems

-- 2. Create equivalent Snowflake tables
CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE Customers (
    id NUMBER PRIMARY KEY,
    name VARCHAR(100),
    email VARCHAR(255),
    created_at TIMESTAMP_NTZ
);
-- repeat for Orders, Products, OrderItems

-- 3. Stage CSV files
CREATE OR REPLACE STAGE s3_ecom_stage URL='s3://galaxy-ecom-dump/'
    CREDENTIALS=(aws_key_id='XYZ' aws_secret_key='ABC');

-- 4. Load data
COPY INTO Customers
FROM @s3_ecom_stage/Customers.csv
FILE_FORMAT=(TYPE=CSV FIELD_OPTIONALLY_ENCLOSED_BY='"' SKIP_HEADER=1);

-- 5. Keep in sync (example using MERGE)
MERGE INTO Orders t
USING staging_Orders s
ON t.id = s.id
WHEN MATCHED THEN UPDATE SET total_amount=s.total_amount
WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN INSERT VALUES(s.*);

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need to stop writes during migration?

No. Dump a snapshot, then stream binlog changes to Snowflake until cut-over.

Can I migrate stored procedures?

Not directly. Rewrite logic in Snowflake JavaScript UDFs or external services.

How long will the transfer take?

Roughly 100 GB per hour with multi-threaded uploads and Snowflake’s parallel COPY.

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