Seamlessly Migrating 15k Redis servers to Valkey

For many years Redis® has been the default for caching, message queues, and fast data storage. However recent changes to its licensing mean that companies who want truly open-source tools need to make a switch. This is why Valkey was created.

We are leading the way in offering a smooth path to move your current Redis® setups to a fully open-source managed Valkey service. Before we get into how Aiven moved about 15,000 Redis® servers to Valkey, let's understand why it makes sense to pick Valkey in the first place.

Why Pick Valkey?

Picking between Redis® and Valkey now means looking at more than just technical features. It means thinking about licensing dangers and the long-term health of an open-source system:

1. No More Licensing Doubts: The main reason to pick Valkey is to avoid the licensing problems that come with Redis®. Valkey is a "true open-source project". The Linux Foundation manages the project and Aiven is a strong supporter, giving important help to Valkey's growth. This makes sure the project stays guided by the community and follows open-source ideas.
2. Ready for the Future and New Ideas: Valkey lets developers look into better ways to scale that go beyond the limits of old open-source Redis®.
3. Works Just Like Redis®: Aiven for Valkey is a fully compatible replacement for Redis® 7.2.4 and older versions. It has the same functions, plans, and prices as Aiven for Caching. This means your current apps can connect seamlessly after the migration process. Aiven for Valkey offers the same rich data types like strings, hashes, lists, sets, sorted sets, bitmaps, hyperloglogs, geospatial indexes, and streams. This makes it great for fast caching, strong message queues, and lasting key-value storage.

Seamless Migration: From Redis to Valkey with Aiven

We knew it was very important to move its many Redis® services to Valkey smoothly. As of August 2024, Aiven managed about 15,000 Redis® services and only about 100 Valkey services. The goal was clear: provide a simple, fast, low-risk migration process that is transparent to customers' applications.

Aiven offered two easy-to-use ways to move:

1. One-Click Option in the Aiven Console: We showed a simple "Upgrade to Valkey" button in the Aiven Console. With the click of a button, we started the migration process and converted the Redis service to Valkey
2. Automatic Migration during Maintenance Times: Aiven knew that customers might not always click the update button themselves. So, Aiven set up an automatic migration process during a server's planned maintenance time after the Redis® End-of-Life was announced. This worked very well, handling the majority of the migrations. Specifically, about 4000 moves were started by customers, while about 11,000 happened automatically.

In Short

Aiven for Valkey gives engineers a strong, managed, in-memory database that works perfectly with older open-source Redis®, while staying true to open source. Whether you need fast data caching for databases, strong message queue features for chat apps, or a lasting key-value store for game leaderboards, Aiven for Valkey is an excellent choice.

With Aiven, you get 99.99% uptime, automatic updates and easy scaling. This lets you focus on building your apps instead of worrying about managing, configuring, and operating your database. The successful move of about 15,00 Redis® services to Valkey is proof of that.

Start using Aiven for Valkey today and secure your open-source future.