Access → Amazon RDS Migration — United States
Migrate your Access database to Amazon RDS — done for you, on your AWS.
We move your Access data onto a managed Amazon RDS instance — SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL — inside your own AWS account, and reconnect your existing forms and reports so your team keeps working the same way, just faster and without the limits.
15+ years migrating Access databases · [PLACEHOLDER: migrations completed]
Quick answer
Migrating Access to Amazon RDS means moving your tables onto a managed, AWS-hosted SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL instance, then reconnecting your existing Access forms and reports as a linked-table front end. Most teams do this specifically because they already run other infrastructure on AWS and want one cloud vendor, not two.
Get a Free Access-to-AWS RDS Assessment
Tell us your Access file size, target RDS engine (SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL), and whether forms stay linked. We reply with a cloud path and fixed-scope quote.
Standardized on Microsoft's cloud instead of AWS? See Migrate Access to Azure SQL. Not sure which cloud fits? Compare all Access migration paths.
Why AWS specifically
Six signs Amazon RDS is the right cloud for your Access database
Choose your engine
RDS runs three engines Access can migrate to — here's how they compare
Amazon RDS isn't a database engine of its own — it's a managed hosting layer on top of SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. The engine you pick determines how much migration work is involved, not whether the migration is possible.
RDS for SQL Server
The closest match to Access's own query language and data types, and the engine Microsoft's own migration tooling (SSMA) is built to target directly.
- SSMA maps Access tables, keys, and most queries with minimal manual rework
- Access forms and reports can keep running as a linked-table front end
- Familiar T-SQL if your team already writes SQL Server queries elsewhere
- Best for
- Fastest path when you want the least amount of query rewriting
- Access compatibility
- Highest — most direct mapping from Access's engine
RDS for MySQL
An open-source engine with no per-seat database licensing, connected to Access via ODBC — the route AWS's own official migration guidance documents.
- No SQL Server-style licensing cost on the database engine itself
- Common choice when the long-term plan includes a web or PHP front end
- Access-specific types (Attachments, OLE Objects, multi-value lookups) need explicit handling — they don't map automatically
- Best for
- Licensing-cost-sensitive teams, or a future move toward a web app
- Access compatibility
- Moderate — data-type audit needed before migrating
RDS for PostgreSQL
The strictest engine on data integrity of the three — migrations here routinely surface years of data-quality drift that Access silently allowed.
- Best fit for complex reporting, analytics, or spatial data (PostGIS)
- Strong constraint enforcement catches bad data Access never flagged
- Same ODBC/linking approach as MySQL, similar audit requirements
- Best for
- Data integrity, heavier reporting, or geographic/spatial data
- Access compatibility
- Moderate — data-type audit needed before migrating
Not sure which one fits your database? Send us your .accdb or .mdb file and we'll recommend an engine as part of a free assessment.
How it works
Our Access-to-RDS migration process
- 01
Discovery & engine selection
We inventory your tables, relationships, queries, forms, reports, and VBA, then help you choose SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL on RDS based on your existing AWS setup and reporting needs.
- 02
RDS instance & network setup
We provision the RDS instance inside your AWS account — VPC placement, security groups, IAM access, and encryption in transit — so it fits your existing infrastructure rather than sitting outside it.
- 03
Schema & data migration
Tables, relationships, keys, and data types move to RDS using SSMA (for SQL Server) or ODBC-based export (for MySQL/PostgreSQL), with validation passes on every table.
- 04
Reconnect or rebuild forms & reports
In most cases your existing Access forms and reports get re-pointed to RDS as linked tables. Where VBA logic doesn't translate cleanly, we rebuild the specific pieces that need it.
- 05
Testing & validation
Side-by-side comparison against the original Access database — record counts, calculations, and the edge cases your team actually relies on.
- 06
Cutover & ongoing support
A planned go-live with a rollback path, Multi-AZ failover configured if you need it, and support after launch — not a handoff the moment it's live.
Quick reference
Access vs. Amazon RDS, side by side
| Microsoft Access | Amazon RDS | |
|---|---|---|
| Hard file size limit | 2 GB — no way to raise it | No practical limit; storage scales on demand |
| Concurrent users | Degrades quickly past a handful | Scales with instance size; built for many concurrent connections |
| Backups | Manual — usually a copied file | Automated, scheduled, point-in-time recovery |
| High availability | None — one file, one point of failure | Multi-AZ automatic failover available |
| Remote / multi-location access | Requires file-sharing or VPN workarounds | Native — one live endpoint for everyone |
| Patching & maintenance | N/A (desktop file) | Managed by AWS on a schedule you control |
Why work with us
Migrations built to be boring — in the best way
[Your real certification or partner status]
Data migrated from a copy, never the live file — validated table by table
Fixed scope and timeline after a short audit — no open-ended billing
Support after go-live, not a handoff the moment it's done
Frequently asked
Access to AWS RDS migration questions, answered plainly
Can I migrate my Access database directly to Amazon RDS?
Yes. Your Access tables move to an RDS instance running SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL — the same three engines Access can already connect to via SSMA or ODBC. The choice of engine affects how much rework your queries and data types need, not whether the migration is possible.
Which RDS engine should I choose — SQL Server, MySQL, or PostgreSQL?
SQL Server is usually the least amount of rework, since Microsoft's own SSMA tooling targets it directly and its SQL dialect is closest to Access's. MySQL and PostgreSQL are strong choices when licensing cost or a future web rebuild matters more than migration speed, but they need a data-type audit first for fields like Attachments or multi-value lookups.
Will my Access forms and reports still work after migrating to RDS?
In most cases, yes — your forms and reports get re-pointed to the RDS database as linked tables, the same way they'd link to an on-premises SQL Server. Any VBA logic that relies on Access-specific functions or local file behavior may need targeted rework, which we identify during the discovery step.
How much does an Access to AWS RDS migration cost?
Most Access-to-RDS rebuilds run $15,000–$75,000 at our standard $90/hr rate, depending on table count, how many forms and reports need to be re-pointed, and how much VBA logic is involved — not just the RDS engine you choose. Because every Access database is different, we scope and quote a fixed number after a short audit of your specific file.
How long does the migration take?
Most projects take 6–16 weeks depending on scope. A straightforward backend migration, where your existing Access forms keep working as a linked-table front end, tends toward the shorter end of that range. Databases with heavier VBA logic or a large number of reports take longer — we give you a specific timeline after the discovery step.
Is my data safe during the migration?
We work from a copy of your database, not the live file, and validate every migrated table against the original before anything is considered complete. The original Access file isn't touched or deleted as part of the process.
Do I need an existing AWS account?
You need an AWS account, but it doesn't need to be pre-configured — we can set up the RDS instance, VPC, and security groups as part of the migration if you're new to AWS, or work inside your existing AWS environment if you already have one.
What's the difference between migrating to AWS RDS versus Azure SQL?
Functionally very little if you choose SQL Server as the RDS engine — both run the same T-SQL, so schema and most queries transfer identically either way. The real decision is which cloud your organization already runs on; AWS RDS fits teams already using AWS for other infrastructure, while Azure SQL fits teams standardized on Microsoft 365 and Azure.
Do I still need Microsoft Access after migrating to RDS?
Not necessarily, but most teams keep it — Access remains a fast way to build and maintain forms and reports even when the actual data lives on RDS instead of in an .accdb file. Some teams eventually replace the Access front end with Power Apps or a custom web app; that's a separate, later decision.
Can you migrate a database with VBA macros and custom code?
Yes. VBA logic that references local tables generally continues to work once those tables are linked to RDS. Logic that depends on Access-specific behavior gets flagged during the audit and rebuilt as part of the migration, not discovered as a surprise afterward.
Ready to move your Access database onto AWS?
Send us your .accdb or .mdb file, or just describe what it does. We'll audit it, recommend an RDS engine, and quote a fixed scope and timeline — no obligation.