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Connecting to MySQL (MySQLToSQL)

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To migrate MySQL databases to SQL Server or Azure SQL, you must connect to the MySQL database that you want to migrate. When you connect, SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) obtains metadata about all MySQL schemas, and then displays it in the MySQL Metadata Explorer pane. SSMA stores information about the database server, but doesn't store passwords.

Your connection to the database stays active until you close the project. When you reopen the project, you must reconnect if you want an active connection to the database.

Metadata about the MySQL database isn't automatically updated. Instead, if you want to update the metadata in MySQL Metadata Explorer, you must manually update it. For more information, see the "Refreshing MySQL Metadata" section later in this article.

Required MySQL permissions

The account that is used to connect to the MySQL database must have at least CONNECT permissions. This enables SSMA to obtain metadata from schemas owned by the connecting user. To obtain metadata for objects in other schemas and then convert objects in those schemas, the account must have the following permissions:

  • SHOW privileges on database objects

  • SELECT privilege on 'information_schema'

  • SELECT privilege on mysql, for user-defined functions (UDFs)

Establish a connection to MySQL

When you connect to a database, SSMA reads the database metadata, and then adds this metadata to the project file. This metadata is used by SSMA when it converts objects to SQL Server or Azure SQL syntax, and when it migrates data to SQL Server or Azure SQL. You can browse this metadata in the MySQL Metadata Explorer pane and review properties of individual database objects.

Important

Make sure that the database server is running and can accept connections.

  1. On the File menu, select Connect to MySQL (this option will be enabled after the creation of project).

    If you're previously connected to MySQL, the command name is Reconnect to MySQL.

  2. In the Provider box, select MySQL ODBC 5.1 Driver (trusted). This driver is the default provider in the standard mode.

  3. In the Mode box, select Standard mode (the default mode).

    Use standard mode to specify the server name and port.

  4. In Standard mode, provide the following values:

    1. In the Server name box, enter the MySQL server name. In the Server port box, enter the port number to be 3306 (the default port).

    2. In the User name box, enter a MySQL account that has the necessary permissions.

    3. In the Password box, enter the password for the specified user name.

  5. SSL: If you want to securely connect to MySQL, make use of TLS or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) by checking the SSL checkbox.

  6. Configure: Use this option to configure the connection to MySQL through TLS/SSL. To enable Configure, SSL must be set to True.

    On selecting the button Configure, a dialog-box appears. To use encryption while connecting to MySQL Database, the path to the following three certificate files present in the dialog-box must be defined, for Privacy Enhanced Mail Certificates (PEM):

    • SSL Certificate Authority: Specifies the path to a file with a list of trust SSL CAs.

    • SSL Certificate: Specifies the name of the SSL certificate file to use for establishing a secure connection.

    • SSL Key: Specifies the name of the SSL key file to use for establishing a secure connection.

    The OK button is enabled when the required information has been provided. If any of the file paths are invalid, the "OK" button will remain disabled.

    The Cancel button closes the dialog box and turns off the SSL option from the main Connection Form.

  7. For more information, see Connect to MySQL (MySQLToSQL)

Reconnect to MySQL

Your connection to the database server stays active until you close the project. When you reopen the project, you must reconnect if you want an active connection to the database. You can work offline until you want to update metadata, load database objects into SQL Server or Azure SQL, and migrate data.

Refresh MySQL metadata

Metadata about the MySQL database isn't automatically refreshed. The metadata in MySQL Metadata Explorer is a snapshot of the metadata when you first connected, or the last time that you manually refreshed metadata. You can manually update metadata for all schemas, a single schema, or individual database objects.

Refresh metadata

  1. Make sure that you're connected to the database.

  2. In MySQL Metadata Explorer, select the check box next to each schema or database object that you want to update.

  3. Right-click Schemas, or the individual schema or database object, and then select Refresh from Database.

    If you don't have an active connection, SSMA displays the Connect to MySQL dialog box so that you can connect.

  4. In the Refresh from Database dialog box, specify which objects to refresh.

    • To refresh an object, select the Active field next to the object until an arrow appears.

    • To prevent an object from being refreshed, select the Active field next to the object until an X appears.

    • To refresh or decline a category of objects, select the Active field next to the category folder.

    • To view the definitions of the color coding, select the Legend button.

  5. Select OK.

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