Migrate from Apache Solr to Amazon OpenSearch Service

The Challenge

Apache Solr, while a mature search platform, is showing its age. Organizations running Solr face increasing challenges with scaling, maintenance complexity, and keeping up with modern search requirements. The technology landscape has evolved significantly, and newer platforms like OpenSearch offer substantial improvements in performance, ease of use, and features.

Migrating from Solr to OpenSearch requires careful planning, compatibility assessment, data transformation, and zero-downtime execution. Many organizations lack the expertise, time, or confidence to tackle these migrations independently, risking data loss, downtime, and suboptimal configurations that fail to leverage OpenSearch's full potential.

Why Migrate from
Solr to OpenSearch?

Modern, Thriving Technology

OpenSearch is a modern, actively developed platform with a vibrant community and regular updates. Unlike Solr's aging architecture, OpenSearch provides cutting-edge features and ongoing innovation in search technology.

Easier APIs and Better Developer Experience

OpenSearch offers intuitive RESTful APIs that are simpler to work with than Solr's XML-based configuration. The learning curve is gentler, documentation is comprehensive, and integration with modern development stacks is seamless.

Superior Scaling and Performance

OpenSearch excels at horizontal scaling with built-in sharding and replication. It often delivers faster query performance and more efficient resource utilization, resulting in cost savings of up to 30% compared to equivalent Solr deployments.

Fully Managed on AWS

Amazon OpenSearch Service provides a fully managed experience, eliminating operational overhead. Automated backups, patching, monitoring, and scaling let your team focus on building features instead of managing infrastructure.

Modern Search Capabilities

OpenSearch supports advanced search features including neural search, vector and semantic search, hybrid search, and machine learning-powered relevance. These capabilities enable AI-driven applications and superior search experiences that Solr cannot match.

Our Migration Approach

Discovery & Assessment

We begin with a thorough analysis of your Solr implementation, understanding your search use cases, data models, query patterns, and performance requirements. We identify potential migration challenges and opportunities for improvement in OpenSearch.

Schema & Query Mapping

Our experts map your Solr schemas to OpenSearch equivalents, translating field types, analyzers, and tokenizers. We convert Solr queries to OpenSearch DSL, ensuring equivalent or improved search functionality and relevance.

Data Migration & Validation

We design and execute data migration strategies, whether bulk reindexing or incremental synchronization. Comprehensive validation ensures data completeness, accuracy, and search quality matches or exceeds your current Solr deployment.

Cutover & Optimization

We manage the cutover process with minimal to zero downtime, using techniques like gradual traffic shifting and parallel running. Post- migration, we optimize performance, implement best practices, and leverage OpenSearch's advanced features for maximum value.

Why Choose BigData Boutique

Veteran Solr & OpenSearch Experts

Our team includes engineers with deep expertise in both Apache Solr and OpenSearch, led by OpenSearch Ambassador Itamar Syn-Hershko. With 13+ years of search technology experience, we understand the nuances of both platforms and can navigate migration challenges effectively.

AWS Partnership Benefits

As AWS's top OpenSearch partner with Service Delivery designation, we have deep relationships with AWS teams. Many of our migration projects are partially sponsored and shepherded by AWS, providing additional value and support for customers.

Proven Methodology

Our systematic approach has been refined through hundreds of successful migrations. We use automated assessment tools, comprehensive testing procedures, and risk mitigation strategies to ensure successful migrations with minimal risk and maximum efficiency.

Continuous Support

We don't just migrate and leave. Our post-migration support ensures your team is confident with OpenSearch, your deployment is optimized, and you're leveraging advanced features to maximize value from your investment in the new platform.