2. What are the long-term implications of vendor lock-in with MongoDB’s licensing model?

MongoDB’s shift to the Server Side Public License (SSPL) presents challenges if you ever need to switch to another solution. Vendor lock-in can limit flexibility, and this lack of agility may lead to increased costs over time. If your organization grows or shifts in focus, migration can become harder and costlier. In contrast, many other DBaaS offerings allow replication to external sources, while MongoDB Atlas restricts this, making migration away from their platform even more difficult.

Additionally, MongoDB has pulled key features from its Community Edition, leaving users with fewer free options over time. Evaluating alternatives now could help you regain flexibility and avoid future challenges.