Overview
Managed relational database services (e.g., Amazon RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure SQL Database) take away the 'undifferentiated heavy lifting' of managing database servers. The provider handles patching, backups, hardware scaling, and high availability.
Key Features
- Automated Backups: Regular snapshots and transaction log backups for point-in-time recovery.
- Multi-AZ Deployment: Automatic failover to a standby instance in a different zone.
- Read Replicas: Offload read traffic to one or more secondary instances.
- Scaling: Easily change instance types or storage capacity with minimal downtime.
Benefits
- Reduced Operational Overhead: Developers can focus on application logic instead of database administration.
- Reliability: Built-in high availability and disaster recovery features.
- Security: Managed patching and integration with cloud IAM.