When you created a stream, you either created the stream and started it immediately, or created the stream without starting it.
If you created the stream, but you didn't start it, then you can do so now. By starting the stream, Datastream can transfer data, schemas, and tables from the source database to the destination.
Go to the Streams page in the Google Cloud Console.
Select the checkbox to the left of the stream that you want to start.
Click START.
In the dialog, click START. The status of the stream changes from Not started to Starting to Running.
After starting a stream, you can monitor it
to verify that Datastream transferred data from the source database to
the destination.
Pause the stream
After starting a stream, you can pause it. When a stream is
paused, Datastream doesn't pull any new data from the source database
into the destination. However, some data may continue to be written to the
destination as data "in flight" continues to flow.
In some cases, if you pause a stream, then the source database must retain the
data until you resume the stream. The retention period for the
source database may be limited. If the stream is paused for longer than the
source retention period, and then the stream is resumed, this can cause the
stream to fail. If this occurs, delete the
stream, create a new
one, and then start it so that
Datastream can transfer data, schemas, and tables from the source
database to the destination.
Go to the Streams page in the Google Cloud Console.
Select the checkbox to the left of the stream that you want to pause.
Click PAUSE.
In the dialog, click PAUSE. The status of the stream changes from Running to Draining. Draining a stream is the process of emptying the stream so that it doesn't contain any data.
After the stream is drained of all data, then the status of the stream changes from Draining to Paused.
After pausing a stream, you can resume it so that
Datastream can transfer new data from the source database to the
destination.
Resume the stream
You can resume a stream that you paused. By resuming the
stream, Datastream can transfer new data from the source database to
the destination.
Go to the Streams page in the Google Cloud Console.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-25 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eStreams can be started to enable Datastream to transfer data, schemas, and tables from the source database to the destination.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003ePausing a stream stops Datastream from pulling new data, although some in-flight data may still reach the destination, and source databases may have retention time limits.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eResuming a paused stream allows Datastream to continue transferring new data from the source database to the destination.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe process of starting, pausing and resuming a stream changes its status which can be monitored.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Run a stream\n\nThis page describes the actions that you can take when you run a stream. The actions include:\n\n- [Starting a stream](#startastream)\n- [Pausing a stream](#pauseastream)\n- [Resuming a stream](#resumeastream)\n\nStart the stream\n----------------\n\nWhen you [created a stream](/datastream/docs/create-a-stream#createthestream), you either created the stream and started it immediately, or created the stream without starting it.\n\nIf you created the stream, but you didn't start it, then you can do so now. By starting the stream, Datastream can transfer data, schemas, and tables from the source database to the destination.\n\n1. Go to the **Streams** page in the Google Cloud Console.\n\n [Go to the Streams page](https://console.cloud.google.com/datastream/streams)\n2. Select the checkbox to the left of the stream that you want to start.\n\n3. Click **START**.\n\n4. In the dialog, click **START** . The status of the stream changes from `Not started` to `Starting` to `Running`.\n\n | It takes about 30 seconds for the stream to start running. Background resources need to start so that the stream can start.\n |\n | For more information about the states and transitions of a stream, see [Stream lifecycle](/datastream/docs/stream-states-and-actions).\n\nAfter starting a stream, you can [monitor it](/datastream/docs/monitor-a-stream)\nto verify that Datastream transferred data from the source database to\nthe destination.\n\nPause the stream\n----------------\n\nAfter [starting a stream](#startastream), you can pause it. When a stream is\npaused, Datastream doesn't pull any new data from the source database\ninto the destination. However, some data may continue to be written to the\ndestination as data \"in flight\" continues to flow.\n\nIn some cases, if you pause a stream, then the source database must retain the\ndata until you [resume the stream](#resumeastream). The retention period for the\nsource database may be limited. If the stream is paused for longer than the\nsource retention period, and then the stream is resumed, this can cause the\nstream to fail. If this occurs, [delete the\nstream](/datastream/docs/delete-a-stream), [create a new\none](/datastream/docs/create-a-stream), and then start it so that\nDatastream can transfer data, schemas, and tables from the source\ndatabase to the destination.\n\n1. Go to the **Streams** page in the Google Cloud Console.\n\n [Go to the Streams page](https://console.cloud.google.com/datastream/streams)\n2. Select the checkbox to the left of the stream that you want to pause.\n\n3. Click **PAUSE**.\n\n4. In the dialog, click **PAUSE** . The status of the stream changes from `Running` to `Draining`. Draining a stream is the process of emptying the stream so that it doesn't contain any data.\n\n After the stream is drained of all data, then the status of the stream changes from `Draining` to `Paused`.\n | For more information about the states and transitions of a stream, see [Stream lifecycle](/datastream/docs/stream-states-and-actions).\n\nAfter pausing a stream, you can [resume it](#resumeastream) so that\nDatastream can transfer new data from the source database to the\ndestination.\n\nResume the stream\n-----------------\n\nYou can resume a stream that you [paused](#pauseastream). By resuming the\nstream, Datastream can transfer new data from the source database to\nthe destination.\n\n1. Go to the **Streams** page in the Google Cloud Console.\n\n [Go to the Streams page](https://console.cloud.google.com/datastream/streams)\n2. Select the checkbox to the left of the stream that you want to resume.\n\n3. Click **RESUME** . The status of the stream changes from `Paused` to `Running`.\n\n | For more information about the states and transitions of a stream, see [Stream lifecycle](/datastream/docs/stream-states-and-actions).\n\nAfter resuming a stream, you can [monitor it](/datastream/docs/monitor-a-stream)\nto verify that Datastream transferred new data from the source database\nto the destination.\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- To learn more about streams, see [Stream lifecycle](/datastream/docs/stream-states-and-actions).\n- To learn how to modify your streams, see [Modify a stream](/datastream/docs/modify-a-stream).\n- To learn how to recover a stream, see [Recover a stream](/datastream/docs/recover-a-stream).\n- To learn how to delete an existing stream, see [Delete a stream](/datastream/docs/delete-a-stream)."]]
