Question 1

What can I read out of Redshift?

Accepted Answer

Tables and views across your schemas, or custom SQL used as a model source. The second is the more common choice here, since the shape you want in MySQL is rarely the shape of a warehouse table, and modelling it once in SQL beats reshaping it downstream. Clusters that sit inside a private network can be reached over an SSH tunnel, which is worth knowing before setup rather than during it.

Question 2

Does the MySQL table need a primary key?

Accepted Answer

Not for a model sync. You map an identity field from Redshift onto a destination column and updates match on it, whether or not MySQL has a key declared there. It should be unique though, since a non unique identity will update every row it matches. Bulk table replication behaves differently: with a primary key it merges on that key, and without one the table is recreated or truncated and reloaded.

Question 3

What does a frequent schedule cost?

Accepted Answer

Cluster time rather than a per query charge, which changes how you think about it. The bill does not move, but a heavy sync competes with everything else running. Three things help. Put the connecting user in a suitable workload management queue, since Polytomic does not set one and the query inherits whatever that user has. Align the table's sort key with your tracking field so incremental reads scan less. And select only the columns you map. Distribution keys matter less here, since these are single table extracts rather than joins.

Question 4

Do deletes reach MySQL?

Accepted Answer

Not through incremental reads. Redshift does not offer change data capture, so a tracking field sync sees only rows whose tracking value advanced, meaning a deleted row simply stops appearing and a row edited without that value moving is missed. Where the MySQL copy needs to match exactly, schedule a periodic full run alongside the incremental one so the two reconcile.

Question 5

How do I sync Redshift to MySQL?

Accepted Answer

Connect both systems first. Redshift needs cluster details, credentials and an S3 staging bucket, plus an SSH tunnel if it is not publicly reachable, while MySQL needs host, port, database and credentials. Then define a model over the Redshift data you want, map fields onto the MySQL table, and choose the write behaviour and identity field. Setting a tracking field at this point is what keeps later runs incremental.

Connect Redshift with MySQL

Connect Redshift and MySQL with Polytomic

Four write behaviours

Schema kept in step

Reads resume, not restart

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Connect Redshift in Polytomic

Connect MySQL in Polytomic

Create a sync between Redshift and MySQL

Map fields and enable the sync

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