DNS Belgium has migrated its domain name registration platform from Oracle to PostgreSQL. With this move, the organization is opting for greater independence from American technology, extra control over data, and a smoother future migration away from AWS.
DNS Belgium, the administrator of .be, .brussels, and .vlaanderen domain names, is swapping its Oracle database for the open-source alternative PostgreSQL. This migration is part of a broader approach by DNS Belgium to move away from American companies like AWS. “Phasing out non-European technology is a new strategic priority,” says Kristof Tuyteleers, CISO at DNS Belgium, during a conversation with ITdaily.
By migrating to PostgreSQL now, DNS Belgium can thoroughly test its platform and prepare for the upcoming cloud move.
Open source
The domain administrator is consciously choosing open source, despite PostgreSQL’s American origins. Due to the open-source license, the database is not subject to US legislation, which provides extra security regarding data privacy and compliance with European regulations, according to DNS Belgium. PostgreSQL is expected to offer sufficient stability, functionality, and transparency for critical internet infrastructure.
Reducing dependency
The switch to PostgreSQL stems from the desire to be less dependent on large American vendors and the stricter licensing policies at Oracle. Licenses for Oracle prove to be less flexible and often more expensive in a sovereign European cloud or on private infrastructure, according to DNS Belgium. Since PostgreSQL is open source, DNS Belgium can freely adapt and manage the database environment without being tied to a single vendor or country-specific legislation.
The migration was carried out using an Amazon data migration tool. At the same time, the database was cleaned up and optimized by removing redundant data and outdated processes. Management was also further automated, ensuring that test and production environments are now identical.