

# Using Amazon RDS Blue/Green Deployments for database updates
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A blue/green deployment copies a production database environment to a separate, synchronized staging environment. By using Amazon RDS Blue/Green Deployments, you can make changes to the database in the staging environment without affecting the production environment. For example, you can upgrade the major or minor DB engine version or change database parameters in the staging environment. When you're ready, you can promote the staging environment to be the new production database environment, with downtime typically under one minute.

**Note**  
Currently, Blue/Green Deployments are supported for RDS for MariaDB, RDS for MySQL, and RDS for PostgreSQL only. For Amazon Aurora availability, see [Using Amazon Aurora Blue/Green Deployments for database updates](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/AmazonRDS/latest/AuroraUserGuide/blue-green-deployments.html) in the *Amazon Aurora User Guide*. 

**Topics**
+ [Overview of Amazon RDS Blue/Green Deployments](blue-green-deployments-overview.md)
+ [Creating a blue/green deployment in Amazon RDS](blue-green-deployments-creating.md)
+ [Viewing a blue/green deployment in Amazon RDS](blue-green-deployments-viewing.md)
+ [Switching a blue/green deployment in Amazon RDS](blue-green-deployments-switching.md)
+ [Deleting a blue/green deployment in Amazon RDS](blue-green-deployments-deleting.md)