

# Downtime during the time zone file update
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When RDS updates your time zone file, existing data that uses `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` might change. In this case, your primary consideration is downtime.

**Warning**  
If you add the `TIMEZONE_FILE_AUTOUPGRADE` option, your engine upgrade might have prolonged downtime. Updating time zone data for a large database might take hours or even days.

The length of the time zone file update depends on factors such as the following:
+ The amount of `TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE` data in your database
+ The DB instance configuration
+ The DB instance class
+ The storage configuration
+ The database configuration
+ The database parameter settings

Additional downtime can occur when you do the following:
+ Add the option to the option group when the DB instance uses an outdated time zone file
+ Upgrade the Oracle database engine when the new engine version contains a new version of the time zone file

**Note**  
During the time zone file update, RDS for Oracle calls `PURGE DBA_RECYCLEBIN`.