Concepts
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud which allows you to run applications on Amazon’s computing environment. When it comes to databases, you can set up any database software that’s compatible with the operating system you choose for your EC2 instance.
Use Cases:
- Custom Configurations: If you require custom database configurations that are not supported by managed services, such as specific tuning parameters or specially compiled versions of a database.
- Full Control: When you need complete control over the database environment, including the operating system, patches, and upgrades.
- Legacy Systems: For running legacy applications that need a specific database environment not available in a managed service.
- Specialized Workloads: For databases that need to be closely integrated with the specific type of server, storage, and networking that EC2 can provide.
Considerations:
- Administration: You are responsible for all aspects of database administration, including installation, maintenance, backups, and scaling.
- Scalability: Manual intervention is required to scale up or down, which might not be as quick and easy as managed options.
- Cost: While you only pay for the resources you use, the cost of operating a database on EC2 can be higher considering the time and effort spent on maintenance.
Example:
Setting up a PostgreSQL database on an EC2 instance involves provisioning the instance, securing it, installing the PostgreSQL software, and configuring it to your needs.
AWS Managed Databases
AWS offers managed database services like Amazon RDS and Amazon DynamoDB which relieve the user from many of the administrative tasks involved in managing a database.
Use Cases:
- Simplicity: For users who need to deploy, manage, and scale databases easily without worrying about the underlying infrastructure.
- Managed Backups: When automatic backups, software patching, and recovery are needed.
- High Availability: For applications that require high availability and durability, such as multi-AZ deployments for disaster recovery.
- Auto-scaling: For use cases where demand can be unpredictable and scaling in real-time is crucial to performance.
Considerations:
- Less Control: You have less control over the underlying infrastructure and limited ability to customize the database environment.
- Cost-effective for Scale: While AWS managed databases can be more expensive to run on a small scale, the costs often become more competitive as you scale up and factor in the reduced administration overhead.
Example:
Creating a MySQL database with Amazon RDS would involve simply choosing the database engine, setting your configurations via the AWS Management Console, and launching the instance.
Comparison Table
| Feature | EC2 Hosted Database | AWS Managed Database |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Full | Limited |
| Configuration | Customizable | Predefined Choices |
| Administration | Manual | Automated Tasks |
| Scalability | Manual Scaling | Auto-scaling Options |
| Backup & Recovery | Manual | Managed Service |
| Availability | Depends on Setup | Easily Configurable |
| Integration | Complex Integration | Seamless AWS Services |
Deciding which option to go for typically depends on the specific requirements of the application in question. If you need the customizability and direct control offered by EC2, and you have the necessary skills to manage it, then using EC2 hosted databases may be the right path. However, if you’re looking for an easier and more streamlined database experience, then AWS’s managed database services may be more appropriate.
It’s always essential to evaluate the amount of time your team can dedicate to database management and whether you seek more straightforward, automated solutions or not. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam takers should be familiar with these differences as they relate to cloud-based database deployment and management.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
T/F: AWS EC2 hosted databases require more manual management compared to AWS managed databases.
- True
- False
Answer: True
EC2 hosted databases require you to manage the database software, patching, and backups, whereas AWS managed databases such as Amazon RDS or Amazon DynamoDB handle much of the management tasks automatically.
T/F: Amazon RDS instances can be resized or scaled according to the load without any downtime.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Amazon RDS instances allow you to scale computing resources or storage capacity with minimal downtime, enabling you to adjust to changes in workload.
Which of the following are advantages of using AWS managed databases over EC2 hosted databases? (Select TWO)
- A. Full control over the operating system and database software
- B. Automated patching and updates
- C. Lower initial cost
- D. Automated backups and snapshots
- E. Requires in-depth database administration skills
Answer: B and D
B and D are advantages of using managed AWS databases such as Amazon RDS, as they provide automated patching, updates, and backups, reducing the administrative burden.
When should an AWS customer consider using an EC2 hosted database? (Select ONE)
- A. When they require a managed service with minimal administrative overhead
- B. When they need complete control over the database and its environment
- C. When they want automatic scaling without manual intervention
- D. When they do not need to customize the underlying operating system or database configuration
Answer: B
Customers who need full control over the database’s underlying environment and configuration should consider using an EC2 hosted database.
T/F: AWS managed databases like Amazon RDS offer only the MySQL database engine.
- True
- False
Answer: False
AWS managed databases such as Amazon RDS support multiple database engines including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, and MariaDB.
T/F: Using an EC2 hosted database is typically less expensive than using a managed database like Amazon RDS for the same workload.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Managed databases like Amazon RDS can potentially be less expensive in the long run due to reduced management overhead, though the cost-efficiency depends on specific workloads and resource management.
Amazon RDS is capable of handling which of the following? (Select TWO)
- A. Read replicas for increased read throughput
- B. Automated software patching
- C. Real-time analytics on streaming data
- D. High-performance computing tasks
- E. Physical hardware maintenance
Answer: A and B
Amazon RDS can manage read replicas to improve read performance and handles software patching automatically. Real-time analytics on streaming data is a task for Amazon Kinesis, and high-performance computing is not a specific feature of RDS.
T/F: Amazon RDS does not support multiple Availability Zones for high availability.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Amazon RDS supports the deployment of instances across multiple Availability Zones to ensure high availability and failover support.
Which of the following AWS services is a fully managed NoSQL database service?
- A. Amazon EC2
- B. Amazon RDS
- C. Amazon DynamoDB
- D. Amazon Redshift
Answer: C
Amazon DynamoDB is a fully managed NoSQL database service offered by AWS, designed for high performance and scalability.
When might an organization choose to run a self-managed database on Amazon EC2? (Select ONE)
- A. When they want to avoid database management tasks such as updates and patching
- B. When they do not require high availability and fault tolerance
- C. When they have a legacy system they want to migrate as-is to the cloud
- D. When they need a fully managed, scalable database service
Answer: C
Organizations might choose to run a self-managed database on EC2 when they have a legacy application and they want to migrate it to the cloud without changes, which might not be supported by AWS managed services.
T/F: Amazon Aurora is compatible with only MySQL databases.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Amazon Aurora is compatible with both MySQL and PostgreSQL database engines, offering performance and feature enhancements over both.
T/F: AWS managed databases typically provide more granular control over the operating system security as compared to EC2 hosted databases.
- True
- False
Answer: False
EC2 hosted databases offer more granular control over the operating system and database software, whereas AWS managed databases limit direct access to the underlying OS for enhanced management and security.
Great post! When deciding between EC2 hosted and AWS managed databases, what do you think about performance trade-offs?
Thanks for sharing this information!
How does cost factor into choosing between EC2 and AWS managed databases? Any insights?
Appreciate the blog post!
When it comes to scaling, which option provides better flexibility, EC2 or AWS managed databases?
I found the post a bit confusing in parts.
Security is my main concern. Which option offers better security features?
Thanks! This is very informative.