AWS RDS for MySQL vs AWS Aurora for MySQL

Features

• It handles routine database tasks such as provisioning, patching, backup, recovery, failure detection, and repair.
• It allows you to use the AWS Management Console, the Amazon RDS Command Line Interface, or simple API calls to access and manage your database instance.
• It provides high availability and reliability with the Multi-AZ deployment option and Read Replicas for scaling out read-heavy workloads.
• It supports Amazon RDS Blue/Green Deployments that enable you to make safer, simpler, and faster database updates with zero data loss.
• It automatically encrypts data at rest and in transit, and integrates with AWS security services such as IAM, KMS, and CloudTrail.
• It offers performance improvements with Amazon RDS Optimized Writes and Reads that can boost write transaction throughput by up to 2x and query processing by up to 50%.

• It supports up to 5X the throughput of MySQL and 3X the throughput of PostgreSQL on similar hardware, using various software and hardware techniques to optimize the database engine.
• It provides high availability and durability with the Multi-AZ deployment option and Read Replicas for scaling out read-heavy workloads. It also supports cross-region read replicas and global databases for fast local reads and disaster recovery.
• It automatically encrypts data at rest and in transit, and integrates with AWS security services such as IAM, KMS, and CloudTrail. It also supports encryption of data in use with AWS Nitro Enclaves.
• It is fully managed by AWS, which handles routine database tasks such as provisioning, patching, backup, recovery, failure detection, and repair. It also supports serverless configuration, which automatically starts up, shuts down, and scales capacity based on your application's needs.
• It supports migration from MySQL databases using various tools and methods, such as AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS), AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT), or native MySQL replication.
• It is cost-effective and pay-as-you-go, allowing you to pay only for what you use with no minimum fees. You can also save money by using Reserved Instances or Savings Plans.
• It supports developer productivity with features such as custom database endpoints, parallel query, fast insert, backtracking, clone, performance insights, enhanced monitoring, and Aurora Machine Learning.

Pros

• It handles routine database tasks such as provisioning, patching, backup, recovery, failure detection, and repair.
• It allows you to use the AWS Management Console, the Amazon RDS Command Line Interface, or simple API calls to access and manage your database instance.
• It provides high availability and reliability with the Multi-AZ deployment option and Read Replicas for scaling out read-heavy workloads.
• It supports Amazon RDS Blue/Green Deployments that enable you to make safer, simpler, and faster database updates with zero data loss.
• It automatically encrypts data at rest and in transit, and integrates with AWS security services such as IAM, KMS, and CloudTrail.
• It offers performance improvements with Amazon RDS Optimized Writes and Reads that can boost write transaction throughput by up to 2x and query processing by up to 50%.
• It supports MySQL 8 features such as atomic DDL migrations, functional indexes, JSON features, window functions, CTE and others.

• It supports higher throughput, availability, scalability, and security than standard MySQL.
• It is fully managed by AWS, which handles routine database tasks such as provisioning, patching, backup, recovery, failure detection, and repair.
• It supports serverless configuration, which automatically starts up, shuts down, and scales capacity based on your application's needs.
• It supports migration from MySQL databases using various tools and methods, such as AWS Database Migration Service (AWS DMS), AWS Schema Conversion Tool (AWS SCT), or native MySQL replication.
• It supports developer productivity with features such as custom database endpoints, parallel query, fast insert, backtracking, clone, performance insights, enhanced monitoring, and Aurora Machine Learning.
• It supports cross-region read replicas and global databases for fast local reads and disaster recovery.

Cons

• It can be more expensive than running MySQL on EC2, especially for storage costs.
• It has some limitations compared to running MySQL on EC2, such as less control over the database configuration and maintenance window.
• It does not support performance insights on t2/t3 instances.
• It may encounter some issues with swap usage or replication lag that require manual failover or troubleshooting.

• It is more expensive than standard MySQL , especially for storage costs.
• It supports only a subset of the database engines and versions that standard RDS offers. For example, it does not support MySQL 8 features such as atomic DDL migrations, functional indexes, JSON features, window functions, CTE and others.
• It has some limitations compared to standard MySQL, such as less control over the database configuration and maintenance window.
• It may encounter some issues with swap usage or replication lag that require manual failover or troubleshooting.