When using public cloud services for relational databases, you have two options:
- IaaS solution – Install a database server on top of a virtual machine
- PaaS solution – Connect to a managed database service
In the traditional data center, organizations had to maintain the operating system and the database by themselves.
The benefits are very clear – full control over the entire stack.
The downside – The organization needs to maintain availability, license cost and security (access control, patch level, hardening, auditing, etc.)
Today, all the major public cloud vendors offer managed services for databases in the cloud.
To connect to the database and begin working, all a customer needs is a DNS name, port number and credentials.
The benefits of a managed database service are:
- Easy administration – No need to maintain the operating system (including patch level for the OS and for the database, system hardening, backup, etc.)
- Scalability – The number of virtual machines in the cluster will grow automatically according to load, in addition to the storage space required for the data
- High availability – The cluster can be configured to span across multiple availability zones (physical data centers)
- Performance – Usually the cloud provider installs the database on SSD storage
- Security – Encryption at rest and in transit
- Monitoring – Built-in the service
- Cost – Pay only for what you use
Not all features available on the on-premises version of the database are available on the PaaS version, and not all common databases are available as managed service of the major cloud providers.
Amazon RDS
Amazon managed services currently (as of April 2018) supports the following database engines:
- Microsoft SQL Server (2008 R2, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017)
Amazon RDS for SQL Server FAQs:
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/sqlserver/faqs
Known limitations:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_SQLServer.html#SQLServer.Concepts.General.FeatureSupport.Limits
- MySQL (5.5, 5.6 and 5.7)
Amazon RDS for MySQL FAQs:
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/mysql/faqs
Known limitations:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/MySQL.KnownIssuesAndLimitations.html
- Oracle (11.2 and 12c)
Amazon RDS for Oracle Database FAQs:
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/oracle/faqs
Known limitations:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_Limits.html
- PostgreSQL (9.3, 9.4, 9.5, and 9.6)
Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL FAQs:
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/faqs
Known limitations:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_PostgreSQL.html#PostgreSQL.Concepts.General.Limits
- MariaDB (10.2)
Amazon RDS for MariaDB FAQs:
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/mariadb/faqs
Known limitations:
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_Limits.html
Azure Managed databases
Microsoft Azure managed database services currently (as of April 2018) support the following database engines:
- Azure SQL Database
Technical overview:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-technical-overview
Known limitations:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/sql-database/sql-database-dtu-resource-limits
- MySQL (5.6 and 5.7)
Technical overview:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/mysql/overview
Known limitations:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/mysql/concepts-limits
- PostgreSQL (9.5, and 9.6)
Technical overview:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/overview
Known limitations:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/concepts-limits
Google Cloud SQL
Google managed database services currently (as of April 2018) support the following database engines:
- MySQL (5.6 and 5.7)
Product documentation:
https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/mysql
Known limitations:
https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/mysql/known-issues
- PostgreSQL (9.6)
Product documentation:
https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/postgres
Known limitations:
https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/postgres/known-issues
Oracle Database Cloud Service
Oracle managed database services currently (as of April 2018) support the following database engines:
- Oracle (11g and 12c)
Product documentation:
https://cloud.oracle.com/en_US/database/features
Known issues:
https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/paas/database-dbaas-cloud/kidbr/index.html#KIDBR109
- MySQL (5.7)
Product documentation:
https://cloud.oracle.com/en_US/mysql/features
Eyal Estrin
Eyal Estrin is a Cloud Architect. He joined IUCC in December 2017 and his main focus is promoting and supporting cloud services in Universities in Israel. He brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the IT and information security field.
Follow him at @eyalestrin