Migrating/Downgrading from Kong Enterprise to Kong Community Edition

Introduction: Transitioning from Kong Enterprise to Kong Community Edition involves migrating crucial data and ensuring a seamless transfer to maintain API gateway functionality. Here’s a step-by-step guide to facilitate the migration process:

Steps to Migrate:

1. Set up Fresh Kong and Cassandra Clusters: Establish a new Kong cluster and a separate Cassandra cluster to store data.
2. Recreate Old Kong Data in New Kong: Recreate data from the old Kong instance in the new cluster. For reference you can use the below Python script to fetch and migrate data such as upstreams, targets, routes, services, consumers, and plugins. Run each module separately for safety.

3. Verify Plugin Compatibility: Ensure all plugins are migrated properly and verify compatibility with the Kong Community Edition, as some plugins may not be supported.

4. Initial Testing: Gradually divert traffic to the new Kong cluster by adding nodes to the load balancer. Start with one node and incrementally increase traffic until fully migrated. Perform thorough testing to ensure functionality.

5. Slow Removal of Enterprise: Maintain the Kong Enterprise cluster for at least 15 days after migration before removing it from the load balancer. This allows time to address any unforeseen issues and ensures a smooth transition.

Conclusion: Migrating from Kong Enterprise to Kong Community Edition requires careful planning and execution to ensure minimal disruption to API services. By following these steps and conducting thorough testing, you can successfully transition to the Community Edition while maintaining service continuity.

Reference :

Kong to Kong Data Migration & Kong Consumer Credential Migration