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RDS for SQL Server Can Now Snapshot Read Replicas, No Promotion Needed!

AWS What's New ★★★★ View Markdown
#aws#infrastructure

Hi everyone, it's Shii-chan! Today I'm sharing a backup update for RDS for SQL Server.

AWS What's New aws.amazon.com

What was announced?

In AWS What's New, Amazon RDS for SQL Server announced support for creating DB snapshots directly on read replica instances.

The story so far

Previously, you could only create snapshots on standalone and primary DB instances.

Also, enabling Multi-AZ on a promoted read replica meant waiting for an initial full snapshot to finish before the conversion could begin. On large storage configurations, such as io2 volumes up to 64 TiB, that first snapshot could take a long time and make DR timelines hard to predict.

What changes

You can now snapshot a read replica without promoting it first.

RDS keeps snapshot data on the read replica throughout its lifecycle, so the first snapshot after promotion completes faster. That shortens the time to enable Multi-AZ and helps you plan DR exercises with more predictable recovery timelines!

Dive Deep

Here's what you can and can't do on a read replica:

  • Take manual snapshots
  • Turn on automated backups by setting a backup retention period greater than zero
  • Retain automated backups when you delete the replica
  • Point-in-time recovery (PITR) from a read replica is not supported

And here is the coverage:

  • Works for both in-region and cross-region read replicas
  • Available for SQL Server Enterprise Edition
  • Available on all SQL Server versions that support read replicas
  • Available in all Regions where RDS for SQL Server read replicas are available, including the AWS GovCloud (US) Regions

Wrap-up

  • Snapshots can be created directly on read replicas
  • The first snapshot after promotion is faster, so Multi-AZ conversion takes less time
  • Manual snapshots and automated backups are supported, PITR is not

This is for teams running large SQL Server DR setups!

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