Migrate clusters with ease — GBase makes system transitions a standard process

Published on 2026-04-09

When a database requires domestic technology adoption, how can an organization seamlessly migrate its long-running GBase 8a MPP Cluster (referred to as GBase 8a)—a self-developed cloud-native data warehouse—to a fully IT Application Innovation (ITAI)-compliant environment? This article breaks down a proven transformation plan: from "dual-track parallel running" and "gray-scale switching" to GVR near-real-time synchronization and one-click rollback, detailing how to perform this database "heart transplant" without business disruption.

Why Does a Database Need a "Surgery"?

Imagine your home's core power supply system: the core chips, operating system, and database are all from foreign brands. One day, the vendor says, "no more upgrades," or a critical vulnerability is disclosed. Such issues can cause significant trouble.

This is the reality for many enterprises. China’s IT Application Innovation (ITAI) initiative aims to replace everything—from chips and servers to operating systems and databases—with self-developed, controllable domestic products. As the "heart" of many enterprise data warehouses, GBase 8a clusters naturally need to follow suit.

But here’s the challenge: replacing the heart means no room for error. Business operations must not be interrupted, not a single piece of data can be lost, and performance cannot degrade. How can this be achieved?

GBase 8a has developed a mature set of technical solutions.

 

Pre-Migration "Health Check": Understand the Current State

Before taking any action, you need to know what the current cluster looks like.

  • Hardware: Are the servers from foreign brands? Is the CPU Intel or AMD? Do storage and switches rely on foreign components?

  • Software: Which version of GBase 8a is running? Is the OS Red Hat or CentOS? Do synchronization and monitoring tools also need to be replaced?

  • Business: What is the peak concurrency? How often do batch jobs run? What is the acceptable downtime? (Many core business systems require RPO ≈ 0 and RTO ≤ 30 seconds—meaning virtually no data loss and recovery within half a minute.)

Only after this "health check" can you identify the gaps: which hardware to replace, which software to upgrade, and which application code to adapt.

 

Core Strategy: Dual-Track Running + Gray-Scale Switching

The core idea behind this migration is to avoid a "big-bang switchover" and instead adopt a two-step approach.

  • Dual-Track Running

The old cluster continues handling read/write workloads, while the new cluster synchronizes data and remains in read-only mode. Both run in parallel, validating each other.

  • Gray-Scale Switching

Start by shifting a small portion of traffic (e.g., report queries). Monitor for a few days to ensure no issues, then gradually shift more until all traffic is moved. If problems occur, traffic can be switched back in seconds.

This approach hinges on a key tool of GBase 8a—the GVR synchronization tool. It supports table-level incremental block synchronization, achieving near-real-time data sync (RPO ≈ 0 for same-city deployments, with latency ranging from seconds to minutes). It also features breakpoint resume, transaction consistency checks, and conflict detection. By ensuring strong data consistency between the old and new clusters, GVR provides the safety net for gray-scale switching.

 

The Four-Step Migration: Steady Every Step

Preparation & Assessment: Don’t Rush—Survey First

  • Form a dedicated team: architects, DBAs, operations, application developers, and security personnel—no one should be missing.

  • Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing cluster, software, hardware, and business, and produce an "Environment Assessment Report."

  • Procure ITAI-compliant software and hardware, and set up test and production environments.

  • Carry out specialized training on the features of the GBase 8a ITAI version and the use of the GVR tool.

Tip: If adopting a multi-VC deployment, the platform of the first VC must be compatible with gcware and gcluster; other VCs can be installed independently and then imported into the main cluster. Within the same VC, keep the platform and configuration consistent; different VCs can have mixed platforms.

Deployment & Migration: The Right Way to Move Data

  • Cluster deployment: Deploy GBase 8a MPP Cluster V9.5.3+ in the ITAI production environment. Configure management nodes, data nodes, and scheduler nodes, and fine-tune memory, I/O, and sharding strategies. Full migration: Use the GBase database migration tool without service interruption, preferably exporting existing data via data file copy and importing it into the new cluster.

  • Data verification: Verify data integrity and accuracy through row count comparisons, aggregate metrics (sum/max/min), and reconciliation of key business data.

  • Incremental sync: Configure a one-way GVR synchronization task to achieve near-real-time data sync from the old cluster to the new cluster.

  • Application adaptation: Replace database drivers, adjust incompatible SQL and stored procedures, and complete functional and interface testing.

Once complete, dual-track running officially begins: the old cluster continues handling primary writes and reads, while the new cluster stays in read-only mode for business validation and data reconciliation. You can configure an application-layer dual-send mechanism to automatically compare results returned from both clusters.

Switching & Optimization: Shift Traffic Gradually, Step on the Gas Lightly

Dual-track validation: Run for at least one full business cycle to verify functionality, performance, data consistency, and security, ensuring the new cluster meets requirements.

Gray-scale switching:

  • Wave 1: Shift 20%-30% of non-critical traffic (e.g., report queries). Run for 1-2 days without anomalies.

  • Wave 2: Shift 50%-60% of critical traffic, closely monitoring the system.

  • Wave 3: Full cutover. The new cluster becomes the primary for writes and reads, while the old cluster stops writing and becomes a read-only standby.

Rollback mechanism: If a critical failure occurs in the new cluster, traffic is switched back to the old cluster within 30 seconds via load balancer or VIP failover. After the issue is fixed, gray-scale switching can be performed again.

Single-track optimization: After full cutover, continuously tune cluster parameters (memory allocation, I/O scheduling, sharding strategies), optimize synchronization links, and refine operational procedures.

Acceptance & Delivery: Not the End, but a New Beginning

  • Acceptance criteria: A comprehensive five-dimensional acceptance covering functionality, performance, data, security, and operations.

  • Deliverables: ITAI-compliant cluster environment, operations manual, troubleshooting manual, and backup & recovery manual.

  • Personnel training: Provide specialized training for operations staff to ensure they can independently handle daily operations.

 

Risk List: Proactive "Vaccination"

 

Post-Migration: Building the Operations System

After replacing the engine, you also need to know how to drive it. Build a new operations system in parallel:

  • Daily inspection: Check node status, CPU/memory/disk I/O, data sync latency, and application access status every day.

  • Monitoring and alerting: Leverage domestic monitoring platforms (e.g., Huawei Cloud Stack Operations Center, Qi-AnXin Situational Awareness), and configure tiered alerts (SMS/email/platform notifications).

  • Data backup: Use DingJia DBackup or Eisoo AnyBackup to define full plus incremental backup plans, and periodically verify backup usability.

  • Knowledge retention: Document failure cases and operating manuals, establish an internal knowledge base, and enhance the team’s overall operational capability.

 

Timeline & Cost

The migration involves investments in hardware, software, and services. Specific timelines and costs depend on cluster size, business complexity, and other factors, and are assessed in detail after project initiation. Key cost areas include: domestic servers/storage/network equipment, GBase 8a licenses, domestic operating systems/middleware/security tools, vendor technical support, personnel training, etc. Actual costs are calculated based on scale.

ITAI migration is not a "rip-and-replace" overhaul; it is a smooth, phased, rollback-capable evolution that remains invisible to the business. Leveraging the near-real-time GVR synchronization and multi-platform adaptability of the GBase 8a cluster, along with the proven "dual-track + gray-scale" process, the transition from a foreign technology stack to a fully independent and controllable stack is successfully achieved. As an outstanding representative of domestic databases, GBase provides stable, efficient, and scalable characteristics, offering solid support for ITAI implementation and helping enterprises navigate digital transformation steadily and far.