Backend DB: PostgreSQL (RDS) or Aurora PostgreSQL
Which database choosing for DataSunrise’s backend databases Postgres RDS or Aurora PostgreSQL
When it comes to choosing between Postgres RDS and Aurora PostgreSQL for DataSunrise, it’s important to understand that both can be used effectively. However, each has its own unique benefits and considerations.
Postgres RDS vs Aurora PostgreSQL
DataSunrise can work with both regular PostgreSQL and its Aurora counterpart for hosting the DataSunrise Audit/Dictionary database. The choice between the two often comes down to your specific needs and circumstances.
Aurora PostgreSQL offloads some operations such as database storage management and scaling. This is particularly beneficial for Audit Storage, which can grow unpredictably based on throughput and rules configuration. By using Aurora PostgreSQL for Audit Storage, you can effectively manage this growth.
On the other hand, the Dictionary database does not grow as rapidly as Audit Storage. Its final size is mostly determined by the volume of metadata, which is influenced by the number of objects contained in the database. Unless you are dramatically changing the database application schema every time, the Dictionary Database size stays relatively fixed for the entire lifecycle of the Database Instance profile you are configuring.
While the Dictionary can also be hosted on Aurora PostgreSQL, eliminating the need to monitor and extend the EBS storage for the RDS, its relatively predictable growth patterns mean that it can also be hosted on regular PostgreSQL RDS with a fixed Storage size. Some of our customers never exceed the default min RDS disk size limit of 20GB for Dictionary databases, which can be leveraged to reduce infrastructure costs, at least for the storage part.
Conclusion
In summary, both Aurora and regular PostgreSQL RDS Instances can be used for both Audit and Dictionary storage. However, hosting Audit on Aurora PostgreSQL provides more benefits, whereas the Dictionary database does not gain much from being hosted on Aurora PostgreSQL. As always, the choice between the two should be guided by your specific needs and circumstances.
For further reading on choosing the right database for audit storage and improving its performance, consider our detailed guide: How to Choose the Database for Audit Storage: A Performance Analysis.