Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL is a fully managed, PostgreSQL–compatible, and ACID–compliant relational database engine that combines the speed, reliability, and manageability of Amazon Aurora with the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of open-source databases. Aurora PostgreSQL is a drop-in replacement for PostgreSQL and makes it simple and cost-effective to set up, operate, and scale your new and existing PostgreSQL deployments, thus freeing you to focus on your business and applications. To learn more about Aurora in general, see What is Amazon Aurora?.
In addition to the benefits of Aurora, Aurora PostgreSQL offers a convenient migration pathway from Amazon RDS into Aurora, with push-button migration tools that convert your existing RDS for PostgreSQL applications to Aurora PostgreSQL. Routine database tasks such as provisioning, patching, backup, recovery, failure detection, and repair are also easy to manage with Aurora PostgreSQL.
Aurora PostgreSQL can work with many industry standards. For example, you can use Aurora PostgreSQL databases to build HIPAA-compliant applications and to store healthcare related information, including protected health information (PHI), under a completed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with AWS.
Difference between Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS
Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS are both relational database services provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS), but they have some key differences:
1. Database Engine: Amazon RDS supports multiple database engines like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and MariaDB. On the other hand, Amazon Aurora is a custom-built cloud-native relational database engine compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL.
2. Performance: Amazon Aurora provides better performance compared to traditional databases as it uses an SSD-backed virtualized storage layer called Aurora Storage that automatically scales in 10GB increments up to 64TB. It also replicates data across multiple Availability Zones for high availability and durability.
3. Scalability: Both services offer scalability features like automatic scaling of compute resources based on workload patterns. However, Aurora’s distributed architecture allows it to scale much higher than traditional databases by adding reader instances for read-heavy workloads.
4. Availability and Durability: While both services provide options for automated backups and high availability through Multi-AZ deployments, the underlying replication technology used in Aurora provides higher durability with six copies of your data spread across three Availability Zones.
5. Cost: The pricing model for both services differs slightly. In general, using Aurora can be more expensive due to its enhanced performance capabilities compared to standard RDS instances running on similar hardware configurations.
6. Compatibility: Since Amazon RDS supports various database engines, it offers more flexibility if you need specific features or want to migrate an existing application without making major changes to the codebase or infrastructure setup.
Ultimately, choosing between Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS depends on your specific requirements such as performance needs, compatibility with existing applications or databases, scalability demands, budget considerations, etc.
In summary, Amazon Aurora is a cloud-native, highly scalable, and managed database service with excellent performance, while PostgreSQL is a feature-rich, open-source database management system that offers flexibility but requires more manual management.