
Migrate multi-TB SQL Server databases to Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server using S3 File Gateway and EBS volumes as staging storage to avoid exceeding the 16TB storage limit and reduce costs.


<div><p>This article provides a technical guide for migrating multi-TB SQL Server databases to Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server using S3 and EBS storage.</p><ul><li>RDS Custom for SQL Server has 16TB default storage; larger databases require alternative approaches</li><li>Use S3 File Gateway to store on-premises backup files in cloud storage</li><li>Attach temporary EBS volume to RDS Custom instance for staging backup files</li><li>Split large databases into multiple backup files under 5TB each for S3 compatibility</li><li>Download backups from S3 to EBS volume, then restore to RDS Custom D: drive</li><li>Detach and delete EBS volume after restore to avoid unnecessary costs</li><li>This method prevents storage overprovisioning and reduces overall migration expenses</li></ul><p>The approach enables cost-effective migration of very large databases by using temporary staging storage instead of permanently provisioning excessive capacity.</p></div>


Related articles