Migrating billions of records: moving our active DNS database while it’s in use

Cloudflare undertook the complex task of migrating billions of DNS records from their main database cluster (**cfdb**) to a new cluster (**dnsdb**) to alleviate strain and improve scalability. The migration was meticulously planned to ensure no data loss and minimal downtime. Key steps included creating a change logging system, using triggers to capture updates, and implementing a replication process. The final migration resulted in improved database performance and reduced incident rates, setting the stage for future scalability.