Top 5 Reasons to Migrate from Open Source Milvus to Zilliz Cloud
Introduction
Vector databases are the go-to tools for managing and querying large-scale unstructured data in AI and machine learning applications. As data grows, organizations need efficient, scalable and user-friendly vector database solutions. Milvus is an open-source vector database and has been popular in this field. But Zilliz Cloud, a fully managed service built on Milvus, has several advantages that make it a great choice for organizations looking to upgrade their vector database capabilities.
This article will cover five reasons to migrate from Milvus to Zilliz Cloud. We will focus on performance, scalability, security, availability and cost. Whether you are a developer working with AI models, an engineer managing large-scale data systems or a technical decision maker evaluating database options, this comparison will help you understand the benefits of Zilliz Cloud over self-managed Milvus.
Reason 1: Zilliz Cloud’s Performance Advantage
The first reason to switch from Milvus to Zilliz Cloud is performance. Milvus has robust vector search capabilities, but Zilliz Cloud takes it to the next level with advanced automation and optimization tools.
Cardinal
A New Vector Search Engine At the heart of Zilliz Cloud’s performance boost is Cardinal, a multi-threaded modern C++ template-based vector search engine. Cardinal implements the most practical and widely used Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search (ANNS) methods and is designed to utilize available compute resources. This new engine has shown a 10x performance boost (QPS) compared to Milvus.
Cardinal features:
Brute-force search
Create and modify ANNS indices
Top-K and range search on indices
Support for various input data formats (FP32, FP16, BF16)
Work with in-memory or memory-mapped data
Result filtering by user-provided criteria
AutoIndex: AI-Powered Index Selection
Zilliz Cloud introduces AUTOINDEX, an AI-based mechanism that automatically selects the best search strategy and index for each dataset. This feature eliminates the need to manually select an index type, which in Milvus can only be done manually without additional code. AUTOINDEX adaptively chooses the best strategy based on the given dataset, query, and hardware configuration. For developers and data engineers, this means less time spent on index tuning and more time on data analysis and application development.
Performance Tuning Cardinal has various algorithm-related, engineering and low-level tuning:
Algorithm tuning: Search algorithm, filtering algorithm, best-first search algorithm etc. to overall performance.
Engineering tuning: Specialized memory allocators, multi-threaded code, hierarchical component structure for search pipeline.
Low-level tuning: Compute kernels optimized for specific hardware (x86 and ARM), using advanced instruction sets like AVX-512 for x86 and NEON/SVE for ARM.
Performance Metrics:
Query latency: Zilliz Cloud is 50-70% faster than self-managed Milvus for similar workloads.
Indexing time: AUTOINDEX can reduce indexing time by 40% compared to manual index selection in Milvus.
Throughput: Cardinal search engine enables Zilliz Cloud to handle 10x more queries per second than a comparable Milvus deployment.
With Cardinal search engine, AUTOINDEX and multiple levels of tuning, Zilliz Cloud has a performance advantage over Milvus. These features together bring a more efficient, automated and powerful vector search experience to your organization.
Reason 2: Scalability and Cloud-Native Architecture Scaling Beyond Milvus: Zilliz Cloud's Elastic Infrastructure
Scalability is a big deal when choosing a vector database solution as data grows exponentially. Milvus has scalability options but Zilliz Cloud takes it to the next level with its cloud native architecture and elastic scaling.
Fully Managed Milvus Clusters
Zilliz Cloud provides fully managed Milvus clusters that require zero ops from you. This means no in-house expertise is needed to handle complex scaling operations so you can focus on your business instead of infrastructure. The system will handle everything from provisioning to maintenance so you don’t need to intervene.
Elastic Scaling to Billion-Scale
Zilliz Cloud has elastic scaling. Unlike traditional Milvus deployments that require careful planning and manual scaling, Zilliz Cloud can scale up to billion scale vector datasets without over-provisioning infrastructure. This elastic scaling adapts to your needs in real-time so you always have the right resources for your workload.
Infinite Storage
Zilliz Cloud has infinite storage. You can store and search vectors at any scale without growing compute resources. This decoupling of storage and compute means more efficient resource utilization and can lead to big cost savings especially for organizations with large and growing datasets.
Flexible Resource Allocation
The cloud native architecture of Zilliz Cloud brings deployment flexibility and resource optimization. With multiple machine types you can choose the best price performance ratio for your workloads. So you don’t overpay for unused resources or under-provision critical workloads.
By providing fully managed clusters, elastic scaling, infinite storage and flexible resource allocation Zilliz Cloud has a scalability advantage over standard Milvus deployments. It’s the perfect choice for organizations that want to future proof their vector database and handle growing data with ease.
Reason 3: Advanced Security and Compliance Features Securing Your Data
Security and compliance is top of mind for any organization that deals with sensitive information. Milvus has basic security features, Zilliz Cloud takes data protection to the next level with its full security and compliance features.
Compliance Certifications
Zilliz Cloud has SoC 2 Type II, ISO27001, GDPR-ready and HIPAA compliance certifications. These certifications show Zilliz Cloud’s commitment to data protection and privacy. For organizations in regulated industries or dealing with sensitive data, these compliance certifications are a key factor when choosing a vector database.
Advanced Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Milvus has basic RBAC, Zilliz Cloud has more fine-grained RBAC. This allows organizations to implement more granular access policies, so users only have access to the data and features they need. This level of control is critical for data privacy and preventing unauthorized access in multi-user environments.
Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) Option
One of the key security features of Zilliz Cloud is the Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) option. This allows organizations to choose higher data security and compliance by using their own cloud infrastructure. BYOC is especially useful for organizations with data residency requirements or those who want to have more control over their data while still benefit from Zilliz Cloud’s managed services.
Encryption
Like Milvus, Zilliz Cloud has data in transit encryption and at rest, so your information is encrypted as it moves between different parts of the system. But Zilliz Cloud’s full security approach goes beyond data in motion, it provides a more comprehensive protection for your vector database.
The combination of industry standard compliance certifications, advanced RBAC, BYOC options and robust encryption makes Zilliz Cloud a secure choice for any organization. By migrating from Milvus to Zilliz Cloud, you can strengthen your data protection and simplify compliance with multiple regulations.
Reason 4: Better Availability and Data Management
Availability and data management are key for organizations that rely on vector databases for mission critical applications. While Milvus is solid, Zilliz Cloud has more features to ensure higher availability and data management.
99.95% Uptime SLA
One of the biggest advantages of Zilliz Cloud is 99.95% Uptime Service Level Agreement (SLA). This high availability is achieved by built-in failover mechanism to ensure your Milvus clusters are always up. For businesses that need continuous access to their vector data, this level of reliability can be a lifesaver, minimizing downtime and allowing critical operations to run uninterrupted.
More Data Recovery Options
Zilliz Cloud has more data recovery options. While both Milvus and Zilliz Cloud have backup and restore, Zilliz Cloud has more features like time travel and a recycle bin. These tools give you more flexibility and granularity in data recovery, to minimize the risk of data loss due to accidental deletion or system failure. Being able to “travel back in time” to recover specific data states can be a lifesaver in maintaining data integrity and resolving issues quickly.
Proactive Resource Monitoring
Another feature of Zilliz Cloud is its advanced resource monitoring. The platform sends automatic notifications to avoid service overload, a feature not available in standard Milvus deployment. This proactive approach to resource management allows you to stay ahead of potential issues and your vector database will continue to perform well even as the system is changing.
User-Friendly Cloud UI
Zilliz Cloud has a user-friendly Cloud UI to manage and monitor your Milvus clusters at any scale. This simple interface simplifies complex management tasks and gives you clear visibility into system performance, resource usage and other key metrics. For teams managing large scale vector databases, this will reduce the operational burden and improve overall efficiency.
With high availability, more data recovery options, proactive resource monitoring and user-friendly management interface, Zilliz Cloud is more reliable and data management friendly than standard Milvus.
Reason 5: Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Optimization
While the technical benefits of Zilliz Cloud are obvious, it also has cost-effectiveness and resource optimization benefits. These economic arguments can be a strong case to move from self-managed Milvus to Zilliz Cloud.
Flexible Machine Types for Best Price-Performance
Zilliz Cloud has different machine types for best price-performance. With self-managed Milvus you might be limited by your hardware, with Zilliz Cloud you can choose the most cost-effective machine types for your workloads. This flexibility means you won’t overpay for unused resources or under-provision critical workloads, resulting in better resource utilization and cost savings.
Decoupled Storage and Compute
Zilliz Cloud’s infinite storage means it’s cost-effective to store and search vectors at any scale without growing compute resources. Decoupling storage and compute can result in big savings especially for companies with large and growing datasets. In self-managed Milvus, scaling storage often means scaling compute as well which can be unnecessary costs.
Reduced Operational Costs
The fully managed nature of Zilliz Cloud means reduced operational costs. With Zilliz Cloud handling all cluster management, companies can reduce or eliminate the need for in-house expertise to manage and optimize their vector database infrastructure. This saves on personnel costs and frees up engineering resources to focus on business core objectives instead of infrastructure management.
AUTOINDEX
Automatic optimization with AUTOINDEX in Zilliz Cloud helps with cost optimization. By automatically choosing the best index for each dataset, it eliminates the need for manual tuning and optimization. This saves time and ensures your vector searches are always done with the most efficient index, potentially reducing computation cost and overall system efficiency.
Pay-for-What-You-Use
The elastic scaling of Zilliz Cloud also contributes to cost optimization. By scaling up or down based on actual needs, you avoid the over-provisioning costs that often happen in self-managed environments. This pay-for-what-you-use model can result in big savings especially for companies with variable workloads.
With flexible machine types, decoupled storage and compute, reduced operational overhead, AUTOINDEX and elastic scaling, Zilliz Cloud is more cost-effective than self-managed Milvus. Add to that the technical benefits above and you have a good reason to move to Zilliz Cloud.
Migration Process and Expert Support From Milvus Experts
Migrating from a self-managed Milvus deployment to Zilliz Cloud is meant to be easy and supported. Zilliz Cloud offers many features and services to ensure a smooth transition and operation.
Streamlined Migration Process
The migration process itself is streamlined since Zilliz Cloud is compatible with Milvus. Since Zilliz Cloud is built on Milvus, many of the core concepts and operations are the same, so the learning curve for teams already familiar with Milvus is much smaller. The platform provides extensive documentation and guides to help with the migration process, covering data transfer, config mapping, and app updates.
24x7x365 Expert Support
One of the biggest advantages of Zilliz Cloud is 24x7x365 expert support. While self-managed Milvus relies on community support or paid consulting services, Zilliz Cloud gives you access to the world’s top Milvus experts anytime. This level of support can be super valuable during the migration process and for ongoing operations so any issues or questions can be answered by experts right away.
User-Friendly Cloud UI
Zilliz Cloud has a user-friendly Cloud UI for easy management of your Milvus clusters. This graphical interface simplifies many of the complex tasks involved in managing a vector database, from monitoring performance to config changes. For teams migrating from a command-line heavy Milvus environment, this UI can reduce the operational burden and overall efficiency.
When to Migrate from Your Current Milvus Solution
Milvus is a powerful open-source vector database, but there are many situations where migrating to Zilliz Cloud is beneficial. Here are the key signs it’s time to migrate:
Scaling Issues: If your Milvus deployment is struggling to handle growing data or query loads, it’s time to consider Zilliz Cloud. Its elastic scaling can handle growing datasets without manual intervention.
Performance Bottlenecks: When you find yourself constantly tweaking indexes and queries to maintain performance, Zilliz Cloud’s AUTOINDEX and Cardinal engine can give you significant gains with less effort.
Operational Overhead: If managing your Milvus infrastructure is taking too much of your team’s time and resources, Zilliz Cloud’s fully managed service can free up your team to focus on core business goals.
Cost Concerns: When the total cost of ownership of your self-managed Milvus deployment (hardware, personnel and operational costs) is increasing, Zilliz Cloud’s pay-as-you-go and optimized resource utilization might be a more cost-effective solution.
Security and Compliance Requirements: As your organization has stricter security and compliance requirements, Zilliz Cloud’s security features and compliance certifications become more valuable.
High Availability: If your applications require higher uptime than your current Milvus setup can provide, Zilliz Cloud’s 99.95% uptime SLA is a good reason to migrate.
Advanced Feature Requirements: When you need features like time travel, advanced RBAC or integrated embedding pipelines that are not available in your current Milvus setup, it’s time to consider Zilliz Cloud.
Global Expansion: If your organization is expanding globally and needs a vector database that can operate across multiple regions, Zilliz Cloud’s cloud-native architecture is designed for global deployment.
AI and ML Workflow: When you need tighter integration between your vector database and AI/ML workflows, Zilliz Cloud’s embedding pipelines and AI workload optimizations are particularly useful.
Expertise Gap: If your team lacks the expertise to optimize and maintain a large-scale Milvus deployment, Zilliz Cloud’s managed service and expert support can bridge the gap.
Now you know the signs, plan your migration to Zilliz Cloud today and future-proof your vector database infrastructure. Remember, you want a vector database that solves your current problems and prepares you for what’s next.
Conclusion
Migrating from Milvus to Zilliz Cloud has many benefits for your vector database. Here are the top Five reasons to do it:
Performance and automation with Cardinal, AUTOINDEX and multi-level optimisations.
Scalability and cloud native architecture for elastic scaling and unlimited storage.
Security and compliance with robust RBAC and multiple compliance certifications.
Availability and data management with 99.95% SLA and advanced recovery options.
Cost and resource efficiency with flexible machine types and less operational overhead.
With these benefits and Zilliz Cloud’s expert support and streamlined migration process, it’s time for you to upgrade your vector database. Migrating to Zilliz Cloud means you can have the power of Milvus and a fully managed, cloud native solution.
For Milvus users looking to take the next step in their vector database journey, Zilliz Cloud is a strong and cost effective option. It has the familiarity of Milvus and the advanced features, scalability and support you need to handle the growing demands of AI and machine learning applications. As vector search becomes more and more important in data driven decision making, Zilliz Cloud is ready to power your innovation and success.
Steffi LiSteffi is the Director of Product Marketing at Zilliz, with prior experience leading the GTM strategies for open-source data technologies such as Apache Kafka and Apache Airflow. Passionate about travel, yoga, and non-fiction reading, she brings a balanced and enriched worldview to her professional pursuits.
- Introduction
- Reason 1: Zilliz Cloud’s Performance Advantage
- AutoIndex: AI-Powered Index Selection
- Reason 2: Scalability and Cloud-Native Architecture Scaling Beyond Milvus: Zilliz Cloud's Elastic Infrastructure
- Reason 3: Advanced Security and Compliance Features Securing Your Data
- Reason 4: Better Availability and Data Management
- Reason 5: Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Optimization
- Migration Process and Expert Support From Milvus Experts
- Conclusion
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