Introduction:
In this article, we will discuss the various options available to make Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL Server) available on Amazon Web Services (AWS). As organizations increasingly migrate their applications to the cloud, it becomes essential to explore the availability of MS SQL Server on AWS for those applications that rely on it as their relational database.
Microsoft SQL Server Availability on AWS:
There are two main approaches to running MS SQL Server on AWS: Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2).
Amazon RDS is a managed service that simplifies the setup, maintenance, and scalability of MS SQL Server databases on AWS. It takes care of tasks such as installation, disk provisioning, version upgrades, security patching, and backup and recovery. RDS also supports high availability and scalability automatically.
On the other hand, Amazon EC2 provides computing capacity on the AWS cloud, allowing organizations to run MS SQL Server as they would in an on-premise data center. This approach offers maximum control and flexibility but comes with additional responsibilities for managing the deployed MS SQL Server and databases.
Microsoft SQL Server on Amazon RDS:
Amazon RDS supports various features and options of MS SQL Server, including core database engine features, development and management tools, change tracking, service broker, and spatial and location features. It also provides security features such as transparent data encryption, SSL connection, and encryption of storage at rest using Amazon Key Management Service.
RDS manages high availability using multi-availability zone capability, eliminating the need for manual setup and maintenance of database mirroring, failover clusters, or Always On Availability Groups. It handles provisioning, security patch management, version upgrades, and disk storage management. This allows organizations to focus on higher-level tasks like performance tuning and schema optimization.
However, there are some limitations to consider when choosing Amazon RDS for deploying MS SQL Server, such as a maximum of 30 databases per instance, lack of support for other MS SQL Server services like SSAS, SSIS, SSRS, DQS, or MDS on the same server, and restrictions on the use of certain ports. Additionally, some key features of MS SQL Server, such as Always On, log shipping, and replication, are not available with RDS.
Microsoft SQL Server on Amazon EC2:
Running MS SQL Server on Amazon EC2 provides organizations with full control over the environment. They can configure the operating system, including MS SQL Server installation and configuration. EC2 allows for scalability and high availability by quickly provisioning and configuring database instances and storage. Organizations can achieve high performance by deploying MS SQL Server in AWS Regions across the world, reducing latency for geographically distributed end users.
Unlike RDS, EC2 allows the use of SQL Server services and features that are not available in RDS. However, this approach comes with maintenance overhead, as organizations are responsible for administering the MS SQL Server and databases, including backups, version upgrades, patching, security management, and configuring high availability or replication.
Summary:
Amazon Web Services offers multiple options for deploying MS SQL Server on AWS. Both Amazon RDS and Amazon EC2 have their advantages and limitations. RDS simplifies setup and maintenance, allowing organizations to focus on higher-level tasks. EC2 provides more control and flexibility but requires additional maintenance responsibilities. Organizations should carefully consider their requirements and choose the approach that best suits their needs.