The UCx (Databricks Labs UCx tool) automates many aspects of migrating from HSM (Hive Metastore) to Unity Catalog (UC), but its default operation focuses on upgrading the catalog within the same workspace (an in-place migration). As of the most recent updates, UCx does not natively support automatic migration of catalogs/artifacts across different workspacesโthat is, it does not directly handle a full workspace-to-workspace migration to a fresh workspace with Unity Catalog.
UCx Tool Capabilities and Limitations
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The UCx tool is designed primarily for upgrading the catalog and artifacts within the original source workspace.
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It automates catalog conversion, permissions, and data lineage mostly for the in-place upgrade scenario.
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Artifacts such as tables, managed/external locations, ACLs, and lineage are usually mapped within the same workspace context.
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Direct workspace-to-workspace automationโthe kind you describedโis not provided out of the box by UCx as of late 2025.
Alternative Migration Strategies
If you need to migrate HSM artifacts to UC in a new or different workspace, you can consider the following approaches:
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Manual Export/Import: Use Databricksโ export utilities or custom scripts to export tables, views, and permissions from the HSM workspace, then reconstruct them in the new workspace with UC enabled.
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Delta Lake Data: If tables are backed by Delta Lake, you can "register" the underlying Delta tables in a new workspace/catalog after copying physical files.
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Workspace API Automation: Develop automation scripts using Databricks REST API to recreate catalogs, databases, tables, and permissions in the target workspace after upgrading to UC.
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Databricks Partner Solutions/Labs Projects: Watch for new Databricks Labs projects or partner tools, but as of now thereโs no officially supported or widely used tool for workspace-to-workspace automated UC migration.
Limitations to Consider
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Identity & Permissions: Mapping and migrating ACLs between workspaces is complex, as identity (users/groups) might differ.
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Physical Data Location: Migrating managed tables might require physically moving files in cloud storage; UCx does not automate this if the storage buckets differ between workspaces.
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Lineage/History Loss: Full lineage and usage history might not transfer automatically between workspaces.
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Manual Effort: Even script-based automation will require careful validation and may not be fully hands-off.
Summary Table
| Approach |
Automation Level |
Supported by UCx |
Limitations |
| In-place UCx migration |
High |
Yes |
Only same workspace |
| Workspace-to-workspace w/ UCx |
Low |
No |
Manual scripting needed |
| Delta Lake register in new WS |
Medium |
No |
Data path must be accessible |
| REST API/scripted recreation |
Medium |
No |
Identity/permissions challenges |
| Manual export/import |
Low |
No |
Labor-intensive |
In conclusion, the UCx tool does not currently support fully automated workspace-to-workspace migrations. You will need to employ alternative methods such as API-driven or scripted automation, manual procedures, or leverage Delta Lake features as appropriate, keeping in mind limitations regarding identities, permissions, and lineage transfer in multi-workspace migration scenarios.
