Amazon RDS MySQL Integration: 3 Easy Steps

Today, with the surge of data globally, companies are expanding their Databases at high rates. Managing these Databases involves a lot of tasks that are mandatory but do not directly help customers. In such a situation, companies look for tools that can efficiently automate such processes and allow them to focus on customer-centric strategies. Amazon RDS is one such tool that prevents Databases from becoming the bottlenecks in a company’s growth. 

Today businesses are keen on using the services of Amazon RDS to manage their MySQL Databases. This way, RDS takes care of all the management and replication tasks for the data stored in MySQL. Moreover, it provides ample scalability and keeps the MySQL data secure. This allows organizations to shift their time resources to optimize the remaining aspects of their business. 

This article introduces Amazon RDS and MySQL along with their key features. It also explains the importance of setting up the Amazon RDS MySQL integration. The article further provides a step-by-step approach, using which you can manually connect your Amazon RDS account to MySQL Databases. Read along to learn these steps and the benefits of Amazon RDS MySQL integration!

Prerequisites

To set up the Amazon RDS MySQL integration, you will need:

• An AWS account.
• MySQL setup.
• Working knowledge of Databases.

What is Amazon RDS?

Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service) provides you with a fully managed Cloud-based Relational Database as a service. With AWS RDS, you can select from 6 different database engines namely MySQL, AWS Aurora, Oracle Database, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. This platform also allows you to choose the hardware to suit your requirements via AWS Instance types. AWS RDS also automates all the major administrative tasks associated with running a database. These tasks include Hardware Provisioning, Data Backups, Database Setup, Updates,  etc. 

Key Features of Amazon RDS

Amazon RDS provides you with a rich experience due to its following features:

• Hassle-free Setup: Since RDS operates on AWS Cloud, you don’t require any extra infrastructure to deploy this tool. Moreover, RDS’s infrastructure is automatically provisioned, and you don’t have to install the database software manually. In case, you have unique requirements, you can deploy RDS on-premises or as a hybrid solution.
• Scalable: RDS allows you to scale its databases at the click of a button. It also keeps your database and replicated data in separated regions to ensure data availability during server crashes. 
• Secure: RDS, allows you to run your databases on-prem or hybrid solutions safely under its encryption techniques. Furthermore, it also allows you to deploy the RDS features in Amazon Virtual Cloud and safeguards your data while in transit and at rest.
• Database Snapshots: Amazon RDS offers a user-initiated backup feature called DB Snapshot. Once initiated, it will automatically take as many snapshots as you need per day and store it for an indefinite time. 
• High Performance: Amazon RDS has a PIOPS (Provisioned IOPS) feature to ensure fast and consistent input & output performance. This makes it ideal for managing online transactions and high I/O centric applications. 

What is MySQL?

MySQL is a Cloud oriented DBMS launched in 1995. This powerful platform relies on SQL (Structured Query Language) to execute tasks related to record manipulation and other data-associated operations. MySQL due to it’s open-source environment is accessible to everyone who needs to utilize its services. However, there are even some advanced variations of MySQL in the market designed to cater to specialized business requirements.

You can acquire their services in exchange for a month-to-month fee. This platform is capable of providing scalable and secure data management without the need to set up any extra infrastructure. With a multitude of built-in tools and features, MySQL has become the go-to choice of organizations in recent times.

Key Features of MySQL

The following key features make MySQL a popular DBMS choice: 

• High performance: MySQL query processing engine operates at low latency and provides you with a rich user experience. Moreover, with its straightforward user interface, you can host multiple customers simultaneously and provide them with global MySQL access. 
• Compatibility: MySQL takes care of the security aspects of your data transactions. It also allows you to deploy add-ons to extend the web development facilities while using the MySQL platform.  
• Scalability: MySQL provides simple upscale and downscale options for your data needs at any time. Furthermore, it readily integrates to the most common operating structures such as Linux, OS X, Windows, etc.
• Graphics Support: MySQL offers a visual database graphical tool called MySQL Workbench. It acts as a user interface for Database architects, and Database Administrators and simplifies the tasks like Data Modelling, Data Migration, etc.

Importance of Amazon RDS MySQL Integration

Amazon RDS is an innovative service that simplifies your work of setting up, operating, and scaling a relational database like MySQL. Therefore setting up your AWS RDS MySQL Integration is important because of the following aspects: 

• Amazon RDS MySQL integration will provide you with a simple method to maintain consistent monitoring of your MySQL Database transactions. The Amazon MySQL connection will also allow you to take deliverable snapshots and store them for as long as you want. 
• With the Amazon RDS MySQL integration in place, you won’t have to worry about buying hardware or installing complex software. You can create new databases with just a click and manage them automatically. 
• Amazon RDs MySQL integration will empower you to experiment with innovative ways to enhance your customers’ experience. This is possible due to the Amazon RDS’s capability to clone your databases numerous times and discard them if the experiment gives mediocre outputs.
• Money is a key factor in any business decision and with Amazon RDS MySQL integration, you need to pay only for the resources you use.

Steps to Set Up Amazon RDS MySQL Integration

You can create an Instance (environment) to run your MySQL database using the Amazon RDS. The following steps will guide you in setting up your AWS RDs MySQL integration:

• Step 1: Generate a New MySQL DB Instance
• Step 2: Download a Standard SQL Client
• Step 3: Set up the Amazon RDS MySQL Integration

Step 1: Generate a New MySQL DB Instance

In this step, you will generate a MySQL DB Instance by leveraging Amazon RDS. The instance will have automated backup and will support a 24-hour retention period.

Open the Amazon RDS console and navigate to its top-right corner. Now, choose the Region where you want to build the DB instance as shown in the below image.

Now, go to the Create database section, and click on “Create database” as shown below.

Next, select the MySQL icon to set it as your engine and use the default details provided on your screen and click on the “Free Tier template”.

Once the MySQL DB Instance is in place, you need to configure it to suit your requirements as shown in the below image.

The following Instance specifications can help you during the configuration of AWS RDS MySQL integration:

• DB Instance Class: Choose the db.t2.micro — 1vCPU and 1 GIB RAM. This is equivalent to 1 GB of memory and 1 vCPU. 
• Storage Type: The General Purpose (SSD) is sufficient for your requirements. 
• Allocated Storage: Choose the default value of 20. This will provide you with 20 GB of storage in your database. If needed, you can easily scale it up to a maximum value of 64 TB using Amazon RDS for MySQL.
• Enable Storage Autoscaling: If you deal with a cyclical or unpredictable workload, enable the storage autoscaling option. This will allow RDS to scale up your database storage automatically if needed.
• Multi-AZ Deployment: This feature does not come with the free-tier and is useful for provisioning and maintaining a synchronous replica in a different Availability Zone.

Use the default values in the section for Additional Configurations. Moreover, to use the Encryption option, you will need to upgrade your pricing plan.

Backup is available with the Free Tier and you can choose the number of days for which you wish to retain the data. 1 Day is an ideal choice for this setting.

In the Monitoring section, you must disable the Enhanced Monitoring option if you wish to operate in the Free Tier only. Maintenance is available for this plan and you can enable the Auto Minor Version Upgrade option for timely updates. Another important feature is the Clear Enable Deletion, which when activated prevents any accidental file deletion. Now, once the configuration is in place, click on the “Create Database” button as shown below.

Step 2: Download a Standard SQL Client

Once the MySQL DB Instance created in Step 1 has its status as available, you can connect a standard SQL client to the DB instance. In this step of your AWS RDS MySQL integration, you will download and use a popular standard SQL client, MySQL Workbench.

You can download the MySQL Workbench from here. This link will give you a prompt with options to log in, sign up, or begin downloading.  You must click “just start my download” and install it in your system.

Step 3: Set up the Amazon RDS MySQL Integration

This is the final step of your Now to use your AWS RDS MySQL integration. Now, you have to connect to the database that you built using MySQL Workbench downloaded in Step 2. Open the MySQL Workbench, and locate the “Connect to Database” option in the menu bar, under the Database option as shown below.

It will open the following box:

Enter the following details to create a connection:

• Hostname: You must enter the hostname used in the Amazon RDS console.  
• Port: Use the default value of Port Number which is 3306.
• Username: Enter the username created for the Amazon RDS database.
• Password: Click on the Store in Vault option and use the password entered while creating the Amazon RDS database.

Finally, click on OK.

The MySQL Workbench will show you various schema objects which you can use to start building tables, insert data, run queries and do much more.

That’s it! Your Amazon RDS MySQL integration is ready.

Benefits of Amazon RDS MySQL Integration

The Amazon RDS MySQL integration can enhance the use and management of your MySQL DB Instances and provide you with the following benefits:

• Amazon RDS provides automated backup and recovery for your MySQL DB Instances. This way you can recover your data in case of a Database crash, at any point in time within the retention periods. Moreover, with the AWS RDS MySQL integration, you also have the option to initiate backups for your DB Instances manually. Amazon RDs will store these manual backups until you delete them explicitly. 
• Amazon RDS’s Multi-AZ deployment feature empowers you to provide high availability and robustness to your MySQL DB Instances. This way your Db Instances will be better equipped to manage the production workloads. The Amazon RDS MySQL connection also allows you to deploy Read Replicas in Amazon RDS for upscaling the capacity of your DB instances for read-heavy workloads.
• Amazon RDS is a fully managed service and ensures the complete security of your MySQL DB Instances. Network isolation via Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud) and Encryption at Rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) are a few examples of the security mechanisms used by Amazon RDs.
• Amazon RDS allows you to expand your storage on the fly with no additional downtime. Furthermore, with the RDS Monitoring features of Amazon Cloudwatch, you can monitor all the key metrics of your RDS DB Instances for no additional charges. 

Conclusion

• The article introduced you to Amazon RDS and MySQL along with their unique features. It also discussed the importance of setting up the Amazon RDS MySQL integration.
• The article then provided a step-by-step guide using which you can easily connect your MySQL Databases with the Amazon RDS. Furthermore, it elaborated on the benefits that Amazon RDS MySQL integration can provide to your business data.
• After reading this article, you can also try and seamlessly establish a connection between Amazon RDS and your MySQL DB Instances.

Share your understanding of the Amazon RDS MySQL Integration in the comments below!