## Alation migration assistant URL: https://docs.atlan.com/product/capabilities/governance/glossary/references/alation-migration-assistant > Migrate glossary terms, tags, and metadata from Alation to Atlan—configure asset mapping, image handling, and custom metadata preservation. # Alation migration assistant Atlan's Alation migration assistant moves glossary terms, tags, and metadata from Alation to Atlan—mapping articles to terms, glossaries to glossaries, and RDBMS assets to connections. Migrate glossary terms, tags, and metadata from Alation to Atlan—configure asset mapping, image handling, and custom metadata preservation. The app maps articles to terms, glossaries to glossaries, and RDBMS assets to connections, with complete documentation of app configuration, asset-mapping rules, image handling options, and CSV format specifications for terms, glossaries, and database assets. ## Access The Alation migration assistant app isn't enabled by default. To use this app, contact [Atlan support](https://docs.atlan.com/support/submit-request) and request it be added to your tenant. ## Configuration This section defines the fields required for workflow setup. ### Workflow name Specifies a unique and descriptive name to identify this workflow configuration in the Atlan interface. This name appears in the workflow list and helps distinguish it from other migration workflows. _Example:_ ```text alation-to-atlan-migration-q1 ``` ### Source Defines how the app retrieves input metadata files. All metadata files must be provided through object storage. Use this option to fetch metadata files from a cloud object store such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage (GCS), or Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS). Object storage is recommended for larger files, automated pipelines, or recurring migrations where files are generated or updated outside Atlan. When your Atlan tenant is deployed in the same cloud provider as your storage bucket, you can leave the authentication fields blank to reuse Atlan's backing object store. For detailed information on configuring storage credentials, access methods, and required fields for each provider, see the **[Object storage configuration for apps](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/packages/object-storage-configuration/llms.txt)** guide, which applies to S3, GCS, and ADLS-based imports. ### Images Controls how embedded images in Alation article content are handled during migration. The app replaces all Alation image URLs in article descriptions with the corresponding Atlan-hosted image URLs. #### Image mapping file Determines whether a pre-built image mapping CSV is available, or whether the app generates the mapping from a ZIP file of images. - **Yes**: Provide a CSV mapping file that maps Alation image URLs to their Atlan equivalents. Specify the file location using **Prefix (path)** and **Object key (filename)** below. - **No**: Provide a ZIP file of images. The app parses the ZIP archive and builds the mapping automatically before replacing URLs in article content. #### Prefix (path) Specifies the folder path within the object store where the image mapping CSV or ZIP file is located. _Example:_ `migration/images` #### Object key (filename) Specifies the filename (including extension) of the image mapping CSV or ZIP file within the prefix. _Example:_ `alation_image_mapping.csv` or `alation_images.zip` ### Articles Configures migration of Alation articles, which map to **GlossaryTerms** in Atlan. #### Business graph qualified name Specifies the qualified name of the Atlan glossary where migrated articles are uploaded as glossary terms. _Example:_ ```text default/glossary/a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890 ``` #### Object storage location Specifies the location of the articles CSV file in the cloud object store. - **Prefix (path)**: Folder path within the object store where the articles CSV file is located. _Example:_ `migration/articles` - **Object key (filename)**: Filename of the articles CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `article_sample.csv` #### Sample file Download a sample CSV file to understand the required structure for articles. :::warning Sample file disclaimer This sample file shows the structure and format only. It may not import as-is and is merely a template for creating your own CSV files. ::: ### Business Graph Configures migration of Alation glossaries and terms. Glossaries migrate as **Glossaries** in Atlan and terms migrate as **GlossaryTerms**. #### Object storage locations Specifies the locations of the glossary and term CSV files in the cloud object store. ##### Business graph file - **Business Graph prefix (path)**: Folder path within the object store where the glossary CSV file is located. _Example:_ `migration/glossary` - **Business Graph object key (filename)**: Filename of the glossary CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `glossary_sample.csv` ##### Term file - **Term prefix (path)**: Folder path within the object store where the terms CSV file is located. _Example:_ `migration/glossary` - **Term object key (filename)**: Filename of the terms CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `sample_terms.csv` #### Sample files Download sample CSV files to understand the required structure for Business Graph migration. :::warning Sample file disclaimer These sample files show the structure and format only. They may not import as-is and are merely templates for creating your own CSV files. ::: ### RDBMS Configures migration of Alation relational database assets (databases, schemas, tables, and columns) into an existing Atlan connection. #### Connection qualified name Specifies the qualified name of the Atlan connection where the RDBMS assets are uploaded. The connection must already exist in Atlan before running the workflow. _Example:_ ```text default/snowflake/1234567890 ``` #### Connector type Specifies the connector type of the target connection. _Example:_ ```text snowflake ``` #### Database IDs (comma-separated) Specifies the Alation database IDs to include in the migration. Only assets belonging to the listed database IDs are migrated. Leave blank to migrate all databases available in the input files. _Example:_ ```text 99, 102, 115 ``` #### Object storage locations Specifies the location of each RDBMS CSV file in the cloud object store. ##### Database file - **Database file path**: Folder path in the object store where the database CSV is located. - **Database file location**: Filename of the database CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `sample_database.csv` ##### Schema file - **Schema file path**: Folder path in the object store where the schema CSV is located. - **Schema file location**: Filename of the schema CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `schema_sample.csv` ##### Table file - **Table file path**: Folder path in the object store where the table CSV is located. - **Table file location**: Filename of the table CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `table_sample.csv` ##### Column file - **Column file path**: Folder path in the object store where the column CSV is located. - **Column file location**: Filename of the column CSV file, including extension. _Example:_ `column_sample.csv` The column CSV uses the Alation column export format. Key fields include: | Field | Description | |---|---| | `id` | Alation column ID | | `name` | Column name | | `title` | Display title for the column | | `description` | Column description text | | `data_type` | Column data type (for example, `NUMBER(38,0)`, `VARCHAR(10)`, `TIMESTAMP_TZ`) | | `nullable` | Whether the column accepts null values (`TRUE` / `FALSE`) | | `is_primary_key` | Whether the column is a primary key (`TRUE` / `FALSE`) | | `table_id` | Alation ID of the parent table | | `schema_id` | Alation ID of the parent schema | | `ds_id` | Alation data source ID | | `position` | Column position in the table | | `attribute_url` | Alation URL path to the column attribute page | ##### User file - **User file path**: Folder path in the object store where the user CSV is located. - **User file location**: Filename of the user CSV file, including extension. ##### Metadata mapping file - **Metadata mapping path**: Folder path in the object store where the custom metadata mapping file is located. - **Metadata mapping file location**: Filename of the custom metadata (CM) mapping file, including extension. #### Map description in Atlan Specifies the Atlan field where Alation descriptions are written during migration. - **Description**: Writes the Alation description to the standard **Description** field on the asset. - **Readme**: Writes the Alation description to the **Readme** field on the asset. Use this when descriptions contain rich text or images that are better rendered in a readme format. #### Sample files Download sample CSV files to understand the required structure for each RDBMS asset type. They nest top-down—a database contains schemas, which contain tables, which contain columns. :::warning Sample file disclaimer These sample files show the structure and format only. They may not import as-is and are merely templates for creating your own CSV files. ::: ## See also - [Asset Import for glossaries](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/glossary/asset-import-glossaries/llms.txt): Reference for importing glossary and term metadata into Atlan using CSV files. - [Asset Import for assets](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/catalog/discovery/asset-import/llms.txt): Reference for bulk importing relational and other asset metadata into Atlan. - [What is a glossary](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/governance/glossary/what-is-a-glossary/llms.txt): Learn about glossary structure (glossaries, categories, and terms) in Atlan. ---