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Prerequisites

  • Self-hosted PostgreSQL instance
  • Access to PostgreSQL configuration files
  • Xata account and project setup
  • Network access to your PostgreSQL server

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Install and Configure the Xata CLI

Install the Xata CLI: 
curl -fsSL https://xata.io/install.sh | bash
Authenticate with your Xata account: 
xata auth login

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Network Configuration

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Option 1: Public Access (Less Secure)

If your PostgreSQL server is accessible from the internet:
  1. Configure Firewall Rules:
    • Allow PostgreSQL port (5432) from your IP address
    • Or temporarily allow from anywhere (0.0.0.0/0) for migration
  2. Update PostgreSQL Configuration:
    • Edit postgresql.conf: Set listen_addresses = '*'
    • Edit pg_hba.conf: Add host all all 0.0.0.0/0 md5
For better security, use private network access:
  1. VPN or Private Network:
    • Connect via VPN to your private network
    • Use private IP addresses for connection
    • Ensure your migration machine is in the same network
  2. SSH Tunnel: 
    ssh -L 5432:localhost:5432 user@your-server-ip

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Option 3: Direct Server Access

If you have direct access to the server:
  1. Run migration locally on the PostgreSQL server
  2. Install Xata CLI on the server
  3. Use localhost for connection

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Get Connection String

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Connection String Format

Self-hosted PostgreSQL connection strings typically look like this: 
postgresql://your_username:your_password@your-server-ip:5432/your_database

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SSL Configuration

If your PostgreSQL server requires SSL: 
postgresql://your_username:your_password@your-server-ip:5432/your_database?sslmode=require
If SSL is disabled: 
postgresql://your_username:your_password@your-server-ip:5432/your_database?sslmode=disable

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Initialize Xata Project

Set up your Xata project configuration: 
xata init

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Configure the Migration

Set up your clone configuration with optional anonymization: 
# Set your source URL
export XATA_CLI_SOURCE_POSTGRES_URL="postgresql://your_username:your_password@your-server-ip:5432/your_database"

# Configure anonymization rules
xata clone config --source-url $XATA_CLI_SOURCE_POSTGRES_URL --mode prompt

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Start the Migration

Begin the data transfer: 
# Start the migration
xata clone start --source-url $XATA_CLI_SOURCE_POSTGRES_URL

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Monitor Progress

Check the migration status: 
xata clone status

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Verification

After migration, verify your data:
  1. Connect to Xata Branch: 
    psql `xata branch url`
  2. Check Data Integrity: 
    -- Compare row counts
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM your_table;

-- Check sample data
SELECT * FROM your_table LIMIT 10;
  3. Test Relationships: Verify foreign key relationships work correctly

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Next Steps