Netflix Automates RDS PostgreSQL to Aurora PostgreSQL Migration Across 400 Production Clusters

"Our goal was to make RDS to Aurora migrations repeatable and low-touch, while preserving correctness guarantees for both transactional workloads and CDC pipelines."

"Netflix routes database access through a platform-managed data access layer built on Envoy, which standardizes mutual TLS and abstracts database endpoints from application code. Because services do not directly manage credentials or connection strings, migrations must occur transparently beneath this layer."

"The replica is initialized from a storage snapshot and continuously replays write-ahead log records streamed from the source. During this phase, the system validates replication slot health, WAL generation rates, parameter compatibility, extension parity, and sustained replication lag under production traffic, ensuring the replica can sustain peak write throughput before cutover."

Netflix developed an internal automation platform that migrates Amazon RDS PostgreSQL databases to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL with minimal operational risk and downtime. The system operates through a self-service workflow enforcing replication validation, controlled cutover, change data capture coordination, and rollback safeguards. Database access routes through a platform-managed data access layer built on Envoy, standardizing mutual TLS and abstracting endpoints from application code. The automation coordinates all migration phases—replication, validation, cutover, CDC handling, and rollback—at the infrastructure level without requiring direct credential or connection string management. The workflow creates an Aurora cluster as a physical read replica from RDS snapshots, continuously replaying write-ahead logs while validating replication slot health, WAL generation rates, parameter compatibility, and extension parity under production traffic.

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