Cloud-based managed MySQL data services like AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, and Azure Database for MySQL have become popular choices for businesses looking to outsource their database management. While these services offer advantages such as simplified management, automated backups, and scalability, they also come with a host of drawbacks that can impact performance, control, and costs.
This blog explores these key drawbacks in detail and compares those to Continuent Tungsten Clustering running in the cloud, also multi-cloud, hybrid-cloud and on-premises.
Lack of Backend Visibility
Managed MySQL services often provide limited visibility into the backend processes and infrastructure. This lack of transparency can hinder performance tuning, issue resolution, and capacity planning. Administrators cannot access the underlying operating system or database logs as they would with a self-managed environment. This limitation can be frustrating, especially when trying to diagnose performance issues or unexpected behavior.
Tungsten Clustering: Full visibility, and full control via GUI, command line or API.
Over-Simplified GUI
While the graphical user interface (GUI) provided by these services makes database management seemingly easy, it can be a double-edged sword. The GUI abstracts much of the complexity, which is beneficial when things are running smoothly. However, this abstraction becomes a major drawback when troubleshooting or fixing issues. The ease of use can lead to over-reliance on the GUI, making it difficult for administrators to dive deep into problems or understand the underlying infrastructure.
In addition, while the actual managed database service may have an SLA, the GUI typically does not. If the GUI fails or there is an outage, it may not be possible to perform any administrative functions on the database service at all.
Tungsten Clustering: comprehensive GUI and CLI are always available.
Slow and Painful High Availability
High availability in managed MySQL services can be slow and cumbersome. Failover processes might take longer than expected, causing downtime during critical periods.
Tungsten Clustering: Automatic, immediate failover.
Arbitrary Reboots and Maintenance
One of the significant drawbacks of cloud-based managed databases is the lack of control over maintenance schedules, reboots, and performance issues caused by noisy neighbors (other tenants on the same infrastructure). Cloud providers may schedule maintenance or reboot instances at times that are inconvenient for the user, leading to potential downtime and disruptions.
Tungsten Clustering: Full control with zero downtime maintenance operations.
Reboot Requirements for Configuration Changes
Changing database options often requires a reboot of the database instance. This can be a significant inconvenience, especially for production environments where uptime is critical. Rebooting can take a considerable amount of time, leading to service interruptions and potential data unavailability.
Tungsten Clustering: On the fly changes, with zero downtime.
Limited Multi-Region Support
Managed MySQL services offer very limited, if any, multi region support. This puts applications at risk in case of a regional failure. For those few services that do offer multi-region support, the topology options are quite limited, consisting of a simple read replica in another region. Disaster Recovery options are cumbersome (see below), and more complex deployments like Active/Active MySQL are not possible.
Tungsten Clustering: Multi-region, multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud deployments.
No Active/Active Geographically Distributed Data Services
Managed MySQL services typically do not support active/active geographically distributed databases. This means that achieving true global distribution and high availability can be complicated and limited. While some providers offer read replicas in multiple regions, these setups often do not support active writes in multiple locations, leading to potential latency issues.
Tungsten Clustering: Multi-region, multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud Active/Passive and Active/Active deployments.
Limited Backup and Restore Functionality
Backup and restore functionalities in managed MySQL services are often limited. For example, automated backups are usually retained for a maximum of 30 days, and there are limited options for off-site backups. This can be a significant drawback for businesses needing longer retention periods or more flexible backup solutions to meet regulatory and operational requirements. This also contributes to vendor lock-in (see below).
Tungsten Clustering: Multiple back-up and restore options, full control and flexibility.
Lack of Automated Disaster Recovery
Managed MySQL offers little or no Disaster Recovery options. This puts applications at risk of cloud regions becoming unavailable. For those services that do offer limited Disaster Recovery, switching to another region is a non-trivial task, requiring the use of a GUI (if available, see “Over Simplified GUI” above), or an API. The failover itself is also time consuming, and there is no provision to fail back when services are restored. Tungsten Cluster can quickly failover to another site or region, with no interruptions to applications, and the entire failover process can easily be automated.
Tungsten Clustering: Automated, and also automatic if desired, Disaster Failover and automated Failback.
High and Unpredictable Costs
The cost structure of managed MySQL services can be deceptive. While the advertised prices might seem low, the actual costs can add up quickly, especially with additional features, data transfer fees, and higher usage levels. Managing and predicting these costs can be challenging, making it difficult for businesses to budget accurately. Furthermore, these services often come with hidden costs and fees that can escalate rapidly.
Tungsten Clustering: Lowest TCO compared to all MySQL data services, backed by included 24/7 supported services
Cloud Provider Lock-In
Using a cloud-based managed MySQL service often results in vendor lock-in. Migrating to a different provider or moving back to an on-premises solution can be complex, time-consuming, and costly. This lock-in can limit flexibility and bargaining power, making it difficult for businesses to switch providers if better options become available.
Tungsten Clustering: No cloud provider lock-in. Freedom to easily migrate from cloud to cloud, or repatriate from cloud to on-premises.
Limited Support
Support options for managed MySQL services are limited. Many providers do not offer 24/7 support by highly knowledgeable DBAs or Site Reliability Engineers (SREs). This limitation can be a significant drawback for businesses requiring round-the-clock support for mission-critical applications. The lack of immediate and expert support can lead to prolonged downtimes and unresolved issues, affecting overall business operations.
Tungsten Clustering: 24/7 support, with an average (calculated over the past five years) less than three (3) minutes response time for urgent support requests.
Conclusion
While cloud-based managed MySQL services offer convenience and scalability, they come with several significant drawbacks. Businesses must carefully weigh these limitations against the benefits and consider their specific needs and use cases before adopting such services.
For many, the loss of control, potential for high costs, and lack of comprehensive disaster recovery might outweigh the convenience of managed services. For all those, Continuent Tungsten Clustering could prove to be the ideal solution.
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