Yes, there are several other mechanisms that can be used to transfer data from an on-premise MS SQL DB to a cloud MS SQL DB in near real-time with no downtime. Some examples include:
- Data Virtualization: Data Virtualization allows you to create a virtual layer that sits on top of your on-premise and cloud data sources. This layer presents the data as a single, unified data source, allowing for real-time data access and integration.
- Change Data Capture (CDC): CDC captures and records all changes made to a specific set of tables in an on-premise MS SQL DB. This data can then be used to replicate the changes to a cloud MS SQL DB in real-time.
- Real-time Data Warehousing: Real-time Data Warehousing solutions allow you to collect, store, and analyze data in real-time. This can be used to replicate data from an on-premise MS SQL DB to a cloud MS SQL DB in real-time.
- APIs: APIs can be used to transfer data in real-time between an on-premise MS SQL DB and a cloud MS SQL DB. You can use APIs to expose the data in the on-premise MS SQL DB and then use them to consume the data in the cloud MS SQL DB.
It's important to consider that each of these solutions comes with a different complexity level, costs and also performance trade-offs. It is recommended to evaluate each option based on your specific use case, data volume, and replication needs to determine the best fit for your specific requirements.