We are thrilled to introduce a cost-effective, simple, and efficient solution for migrating from RU-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB to vCore-based. You can now move to vCore-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB at no cost using the Azure portal. 

How is the vCore model different? 

Azure Cosmos DB offers two pricing models: Request Units (RU) and vCore. The RU-based model ensures dynamic pricing based on throughput consumption, allowing dynamic scaling and optimized performance. With higher scale-out elasticity, top-end scalability, and consistent availability, RU-based provisioning works best for workloads with fluctuating demand. Its resource-governed stack delivers stable performance, making it an ideal choice for large-scale applications like major retailers. 

vCore, in contrast, follows a traditional vCore based provisioning approach, offering higher MongoDB compatibility and optimized scale-up performance that eliminates the need for defining shard keys. Its scale-up architecture provides a wider query surface area, enabling seamless execution of extensive workloads. Additionally, vCore-based Cosmos DB fully supports MongoDB indexing and performs long-running aggregation pipelines efficiently, making it a strong choice for applications requiring predictable billing and efficient query execution. 

Strategic Considerations for Smooth Migrations

1. Successful migrations demand careful planning and substantial engineering effort to build and manage custom tools or ETL pipelines. Teams must adjust schemas, maintain data consistency, and fine-tune performance to ensure a smooth transition while minimizing disruptions. 
2. RU-based Cosmos DB excels in scalability and flexibility, making it a great fit for distributed workloads. During migration, effective planning is crucial for optimizing RU consumption, as cross-partition queries can increase request volume. By strategically managing query patterns and partitioning, applications can sustain strong performance while minimizing RU costs. 
3. For continuous data synchronization, a structured migration approach enhances consistency. Since RU-based provisioning prioritizes throughput efficiency, tracking all changes during an online migration requires specialized techniques. Implementing incremental updates and reconciliation strategies maintains seamless data integrity, ensuring reliable application performance throughout the migration process. 

What’s New

Now, you can migrate at no cost—directly from the Azure portal. This feature aligns with the migration strategies outlined above to ensure efficiency, scalability, and seamless data integrity. It removes financial barriers and simplifies the migration process, requiring no additional software. It supports both offline and online migrations, ensuring minimal disruptions. 

A Seamless and Free Migration Process 

You can migrate to vCore-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB both online and offline, without incurring additional financial burden. You’ll gain improved performance and scalability.

Optimizing Query Execution to Minimize RU Consumption During Migration

The migration tool optimizes data retrieval and prevents cross-partition operations to minimize RU consumption. It analyses partition key distribution, directing queries to the appropriate partitions and eliminating costly fan-out requests. It also reduces load by implementing incremental migration strategies, transferring data in smaller, efficient segments instead of overwhelming the system with large-scale queries. 

Online and Offline Migration Support

This feature lets you migrate to vCore-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB using either online or offline methods—without incurring extra costs. You’ll gain improved scalability, more predictable performance, and better cost control, helping you optimize resources and boost operational efficiency.

We’re excited to deliver this capability and look forward to the impact it will have on modernizing your database workloads. 

Learn More 

With portal-based migration now available, moving from RU-based to vCore-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB has never been easier. This new feature removes the barriers of cost and complexity, empowering you to modernize your workloads with improved performance, scalability, and cost efficiency—all directly within the Azure portal. Whether you’re supporting mission-critical applications or building the next generation of AI-driven solutions, this streamlined migration path helps you get the most out of Azure Cosmos DB. 

To get started, visit the documentation. We can’t wait to see what you build next. 

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About Azure Cosmos DB 

Azure Cosmos DB is a fully managed and serverless NoSQL and vector database for modern app development, including AI applications. With its SLA-backed speed and availability as well as instant dynamic scalability, it is ideal for real-time NoSQL and MongoDB applications that require high performance and distributed computing over massive volumes of NoSQL and vector data. 

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