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Amazon RDS Extended Support with Amazon Aurora - Amazon Aurora
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Amazon RDS Extended Support with Amazon Aurora

RDS Extended Support allows you to continue running a database on a major engine version past the Aurora end of standard support date for an additional cost.

You can enroll a database in RDS Extended Support when you first create or restore a DB instance. You can also change the enrollment status of an existing DB instance or DB cluster at any time by modifying the EngineLifecycleSupport parameter using the Amazon CLI or RDS API. This change takes effect immediately with no downtime. For Aurora and Multi-AZ DB clusters, modify the setting at the cluster level.

If you disable the enrollment status of a DB instance or DB cluster that is already past its standard support end date, the instance or cluster automatically upgrades to the next supported major version. See ModifyDBInstance and ModifyDBCluster for more information.

If you enabled RDS Extended Support during the creation or restoration of a DB instance, then after the Aurora end of standard support date, Amazon Aurora will automatically enroll the DB instance in RDS Extended Support. Automatic enrollment into RDS Extended Support doesn't change the database engine and doesn't impact the uptime or performance of your DB instance.

RDS Extended Support provides the following updates and technical support:

  • Security updates for critical and high CVEs for your DB instance or DB cluster, including the database engine

  • Bug fixes and patches for critical issues

  • The ability to open support cases and receive troubleshooting help within the standard Amazon RDS service level agreement

This paid offering gives you more time to upgrade to a supported major engine version. For example, the Aurora end of standard support date for Aurora MySQL version 2 is October 31, 2024. However, you aren't ready to manually upgrade to Aurora MySQL version 3 before that date. In this case, Amazon Aurora automatically enrolls your cluster in RDS Extended Support on October 31, 2024, and you can continue to run Aurora MySQL version 2. Starting December 1, 2024, Amazon Aurora automatically charges you for RDS Extended Support.

RDS Extended Support is available for up to 3 years past the community end of life date for a major engine version (3 years and 4 months for Aurora MySQL version 2). After this time, if you haven't upgraded your major engine version to a supported version, then Amazon Aurora will automatically upgrade your major engine version. We recommend that you upgrade to a supported major engine version as soon as possible.

For more information about the Aurora end of standard support dates and the RDS end of Extended Support dates, see Release calendar for Aurora MySQL major versions and Release calendar for Aurora PostgreSQL major versions.

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