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Of Amazon’s 212 cloud computing services, fifteen are purpose-built database engines. In this post, we focus on eight AWS database services: Amazon RDS, Amazon Aurora, Amazon DynamoDB, Amazon DocumentDB, Amazon ElastiCache, Amazon Neptune, Amazon Timestream, and Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB). We offer a review of the functions, feature, capabilities and use cases of each of these services, to help you choose the database that is a perfect match for your use case and project. In addition, we’ll show how NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP can help solve AWS database migration and management challenges. This is part of our series of comprehensive guides on cloud storage technology. In this article, you will learn:
Types of Database Services Offered on AWSAWS offers a wide range of database services for you to choose from. The service fall into two groups: relational and non-relational (NoSQL). In this section we provide a breakdown of Amazon database services into relational and non-relational, in the AWS Database Services section below you can learn about selected services in more detail. AWS Relational Database ServicesRelational databases store data in tabular form with columns and rows, and can be queried using the SQL query language. In these databases, columns represent attributes and rows represent records. Each field in the table is a data value. Use cases for relational databases on Amazon include:
The primary Amazon services providing relational databases are:
AWS NoSQL Database ServicesRelational databases are not suitable for many use cases, especially those requiring very high performance or dynamic scalability. NoSQL, or non-relational databases, break the paradigm of storing data in tables with columns and rows, allowing them to distribute and process data more efficiently. NoSQL is commonly used to handle big data - large volumes of unstructured or semi-structured data. The table below shows the main NoSQL databases services offered by AWS.
Note: While we listed in-memory databases under the non-relational category, there are in-memory databases that are relational, SQL databases. A notable example is SAP HANA. You can run SAP HANA on AWS using the managed SAP HANA instance. AWS Databases ServicesOnce you understand what options are available to you for databases in AWS, you can begin narrowing them down. The following services are some of the most commonly used. Keep in mind when reviewing these descriptions that frequently, AWS customers implement multiple database types to meet their needs. You too should consider multiple options if one doesn’t meet all of your needs. Amazon RDSAmazon RDS is a managed, relational database service that includes six different database options. These include AWS Oracle, PostgreSQL, AWS MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, and Amazon Aurora. You can manage these database engines from a centralized management console, a command-line interface, or via API calls. When using this service, many administrative tasks are automated, including database setup, hardware provisioning, backup, and updating. Use cases of Amazon RDS include:
You can learn more in our articles about RDS instance size and AWS Oracle RDS. Amazon AuroraAmazon Aurora is a fully managed relational database engine designed specifically for AWS. It is MySQL and PostgreSQL compatible with minor changes to your source database. Aurora includes features for self-healing, fault tolerance, point-in-time recovery, and continuous backup. Use cases for Amazon Aurora include:
Amazon DynamoDBAmazon DynamoDB is a fully managed, document and key-value database. It includes features for multi-master, multi-region used along with built-in security, automated backup and restoration, and in-memory caching. DynamoDB can provide support for serverless web apps, microservices, and mobile backends. Use cases of Amazon DynamoDB include:
Amazon DocumentDBAmazon DocumentDB is a fully managed document database service. It is scalable, highly-available, and compatible with MongoDB. With it, you can store, index, and query JSON files. With DocumentDB, you can scale your compute and storage resources separately for maximum flexibility. Use cases of Amazon DocumentDB include:
Amazon ElastiCacheAmazon ElastiCache is a fully managed, in-memory data store service. It is compatible with both Redis and Memcached. ElastiCache automates setup, hardware provisioning, configuration, monitoring, updates, and backup and recovery processes. With ElastiCache you can scale both write and memory processes through sharding and data replication. Use cases of Amazon ElastiCache include:
Amazon NeptuneAmazon Neptune is a fully managed graph database service. It enables you to create and run applications using highly-connected data sets. It supports the storage of massive relationship data sets with low-latency access. Neptune supports a variety of graph models and languages, including RDF, SPARQL, and Gremlin. It includes features for point-in-time recovery, read replicas, and continuous backup. Use cases for Amazon Neptune include:
Amazon TimestreamAmazon Timestream is a fully managed, time-series database service. It enables you to store, process, and analyze up to 1,000X better query performance at 90% lower cost, compared to relational databases offered on AWS. Timestream provides automatic hardware provisioning, updates, setup and configuration, and data tiering. Use cases for Amazon Timestream include:
Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB)Amazon (QLDB) is a fully managed, serverless ledger database service. You can use it to track application data changes with a verifiable history. With QLDB, you can avoid the need to build custom ledger applications and associated verification tools. You can query data in QLDB using a SQL-like API. Use cases for Amazon QLDB include:
AWS Database Migration ServiceOnce you’ve decided which services are best for your needs, you need to decide what data you want to migrate and how. Depending on the databases you are currently using, this can be as simple as creating a backup and importing that backup to the new database service. Or, it could require reformatting or re-scheming data. To make migration easier, Amazon offers the AWS Database Migration Service. This service is free for the first six months of many AWS database services, including Aurora, DynamoDB, and Redshift. With this service, you can generally keep your databases operational during migration. This means minimal downtime and enables you to reduce revenue loss and disruptions to productivity. Database Migration Service supports most commercial and open-source databases for easy transfer. This includes both homogeneous migrations, for example, SQL Server to SQL Server, or mixed migrations, for example, Oracle to Amazon Aurora. You can also use it to continuously replicate and consolidate databases to a data warehouse via Amazon S3 and RedShift. AWS Database Migration Service BenefitsUsing AWS Database Migration Service can provide several distinct benefits. The most notable benefits include: Simple to use To get started from the console, you only need to define your migration parameters in a new migration task. This involves setting up connections between databases and choosing replication instances. Then, you can use these parameters as a template to perform migration tests or multiple live migrations using the same settings. Minimal downtime Low cost For a custom analysis of what migration with this tool might cost, you can check out Amazon’s TCO calculator. Supports widely used databases Reliable However, if issues do arise, the service automatically detects the problem and takes action to correct it or notify you. Typically, this means automatically restarting the migration process from where the issue occurred. AWS Database Management with Cloud Volumes ONTAPNetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP, the leading enterprise-grade storage management solution, delivers secure, proven storage management services on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Cloud Volumes ONTAP supports up to a capacity of 368TB, and supports various use cases such as file services, databases, DevOps or any other enterprise workload, with a strong set of features including high availability, data protection, storage efficiencies, Kubernetes integration, and more. In particular, Cloud Volumes ONTAP helps in addressing database workloads challenges in the cloud, and filling the gap between your cloud-based database capabilities and the public cloud resources it runs on.
In this article, we offered an overview of eight AWS databases, including features, capabilities, and use cases. We also provided a brief guide about AWS migration services, and how you can leverage Cloud Volumes ONTAP to address the challenges of managing databases in the AWS cloud. There’s a lot more to learn about AWS databases. To continue your research, take a look at the rest of our blogs on this topic: AWS MySQL: Two Ways to Enjoy MySQL as a Service If you’re looking for information about RDS and Aurora for MySQL, check out our article: AWS MySQL: Two Ways to Enjoy MySQL as a Service. AWS Oracle: How to Lift and Shift Your Oracle DB to Amazon Our article: AWS Oracle: How to Lift and Shift Your Oracle DB to Amazon, can help walk you through the process of migrating on-prem Oracle workloads to the cloud. AWS Oracle RDS: Running Your First Oracle Database on Amazon This post reviews the features and licenses offered for relational Oracle databases on AWS RDS, and walks you through the process of creating an RDS DB instance. Read more: AWS Oracle RDS: Running Your First Oracle Database on Amazon DynamoDB Pricing: How to Optimize Usage and Reduce Costs DynamoDB is an AWS database for NoSQL high-performance applications. DynamoDB is a great service for serverless web apps, mobile backends, microservices, and operations that need low-latency data access. Learn how DynamoDB Pricing works, including basic DynamoDB storage and architecture concepts. Discover tips for optimizing your DynamoDB costs. Read: DynamoDB Pricing: How to Optimize Usage and Reduce Costs AWS Database as a Service: 8 Ways to Manage Databases in AWS Read: AWS Database as a Service: 8 Ways to Manage Databases in AWS SQL Server in AWS: Two Deployment Options Read: SQL Server in AWS: Two Deployment Options Amazon DocumentDB: Basics and Best Practices Read: Amazon DocumentDB: Basics and Best Practices AWS PostgreSQL: Managed or Self-Managed? Read: AWS PostgreSQL: Managed or Self-Managed? AWS NoSQL: Choosing the Best Option for You Read: AWS NoSQL: Choosing the Best Option for You AWS Database Migration Service: Copy-Paste Your Database to Amazon Read more: AWS Database Migration Service: Copy-Paste Your Database to Amazon See Our Additional Guides on Key Cloud Storage Topics We have authored in-depth guides on several other topics that can also be useful as you explore the world of cloud storage. S3 StorageLearn the basics of storing data in Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), Amazon’s first cloud service and still one of its most popular.
Azure StorageLearn about storage solutions in the Microsoft Azure cloud, including object storage, block storage, and file storage solutions.
Cloud File SharingFile shares support some of the most important workloads that enterprise businesses rely on, and the resources of the public cloud have created interesting new possibilities. Every major public cloud provider now offers its own cloud file sharing service, each with its own target workloads and considerations. But not every enterprise will find what they’re looking for in a fully managed, all-cloud service. See top articles in our cloud file sharing guide:
Multicloud StorageMulticloud strategies are becoming more popular as organizations seek to optimize their cloud services and deployments. These strategies can help you prevent vendor lock-in, increase your flexibility, and help you optimize costs. This guide explains what multicloud storage is, how it works, what it’s used for, the core requirements for this storage, and how Cloud Volumes ONTAP supports it. See top articles in our multicloud storage guide:
AWS Snapshots for Amazon EBSSnapshots are a common method for natively backing up cloud data and services. This method enables you to save point in time backups which can be restored when needed. This guide explains what types of storage snapshots are available, what AWS snapshots are, and how to use AWS snapshots. See top articles in our AWS snapshots guide:
Azure BackupAzure provides a wide variety of services to its users to help you manage your cloud data and services reliably. Azure Backup is one such service that can help provide data loss protection and peace of mind. This guide explains what Azure Backup is and how to use it to backup your Azure data. See top articles in our Azure Backup guide:
Azure File StorageStoring file data in Azure is simple through Azure File Storage service. This service enables you to store files across cloud and on-premises resources, enabling you to flexibly and securely share data and workflows. This guide explains what Azure File Storage is, common use cases for Files, management concepts and components of the service, how data is accessed and the architecture of the service, and some best practices for securing your data. See top articles in our Azure file storage guide:
Azure FilesAzure Files is one of several storage services available to users in Azure. It is a service designed to replicate file shares like those commonly used on premises. With this service, you can smoothly transition your files to the cloud and allow file sharing across your teams. This guide explains what Azure Files is, how it complements other storage services, pricing and use cases for Files, and pros and cons you should be aware of. See top articles in our Azure Files guide:
Azure Database ServicesNearly every production cloud deployment has one or more databases. These tools provide support for applications, enable workloads, and organize your data meaningfully. Having databases available that support all your needs is essential and Azure offers a range to choose from. This guide explains what Azure database workloads are supported, how databases work in Azure, and what services are available. See top articles in our Azure database guide:
Google Cloud StorageGoogle Cloud offers a variety of storage options for you to choose from. These services form the base of many other services in the cloud and understanding what your options are can help you manage your cloud more efficiently. This guide explains what Google Cloud Storage options exist and their common uses. See top articles in our Google Cloud storage guide:
Google Cloud Database ServicesGoogle Cloud’s specialty is flexibility and integration of services and this extends to its database services. In Google Cloud you have a wide variety of database deployments, models, and support to choose from. This guide explains your options for deploying databases in the cloud, what Google Cloud database services are available, and how to choose the right service for you. See top articles in our Google Cloud database guide:
Kubernetes StorageSoftware developers and DevOps engineers are packaging applications into lightweight units called containers. Kubernetes helps manage and scale containers across clusters of physical machines. In this environment, Kubernetes storage becomes a significant challenge. By default, containers are ephemeral, meaning that any transient data on the container is lost when it shuts down. However, Kubernetes provides several options for persistent storage. See top articles in our Kubernetes guide:
Which AWS service is used as a keyAmazon DynamoDB is a key-value and document database that delivers single-digit millisecond performance at any scale.
What service does AWS offer for a high performance keyAmazon DynamoDB is a fully managed, serverless, key-value NoSQL database designed to run high-performance applications at any scale. DynamoDB offers built-in security, continuous backups, automated multi-Region replication, in-memory caching, and data import and export tools.
What is a keyKey value databases, also known as key value stores, are database types where data is stored in a “key-value” format and optimized for reading and writing that data. The data is fetched by a unique key or a number of unique keys to retrieve the associated value with each key.
Which database is a NoSQL database type that can quickly store and retrieve keyAmazon DynamoDB.
DynamoDB is a database trusted by many large-scale users and users in general. It is fully managed and reliable, with built-in backup and security options.
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