How to Choose Between AWS Aurora Manual Snapshot and Automated Backup

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Here’s a simple explanation of how Aurora manual snapshots and automated backups work, along with how they are charged:

Manual snapshots are full backups of your database at the moment you create them. The first manual snapshot saves the entire storage size of your database. After that, any additional snapshots are incremental, meaning they only save the parts of the database that have changed since the last snapshot. This makes them quicker and less storage-intensive.

You won’t be charged for manual snapshots as long as they stay within your automated backup retention window. Once a manual snapshot is older than this period, you will be billed for the storage space it uses, measured in gigabytes per month.

Automated backups are different from manual snapshots. They keep a continuous record of changes and log data, allowing you to restore your database to any point within your retention period, which can be from one to 35 days. These backups happen in small, regular intervals, like every five minutes.

Regarding charges: AWS offers free backup storage equal to your current database size. Automated backups only store the changes made during the retention period, so the total storage used for backups usually stays below the total size of your database. If your backup storage goes beyond the free tier, based on your database size, you will be charged for the extra space used.

To sum it up: Manual snapshots save the entire database at specific moments and cost only when they are retained beyond the set period. Automated backups continuously save changes and logs, with no extra charge until the backup storage exceeds your database size. This system helps keep your data safe without unnecessary expenses.