How to Handle AWS RDS Blue/Green Deployments Without Shrinking

Select Language:

If you’re trying to reduce storage size during an RDS Blue/Green deployment on AWS, you might find that the process doesn’t work as expected. Even though AWS states that shrinking storage is supported, many users have noticed that the new Green environment sometimes keeps the original storage size or even larger, instead of shrinking to the desired smaller size. This can be frustrating, but there is a workaround that might help.

Before starting your deployment, try disabling storage autoscaling. Once the new environment is set up, and you’ve successfully switched over, you can re-enable autoscaling. This method has helped some users reduce storage as intended. Just remember that there are certain rules for shrinking storage: the target size should be at least 20% larger than your current usage. To find out how much storage you truly need, check your current usage with CloudWatch’s FreeStorageSpace metric, and add 20% to that number to set your target size.

If you face ongoing issues with shrinking storage during Blue/Green deployments, it’s a good idea to document every step you take and every observation you make. This information will be valuable if you decide to contact AWS Support. Reporting the problem helps bring attention to the issue, and they may have updates or solutions in the future.

In the meantime, an alternative option is to manually create a new database instance with a smaller storage size and then migrate your data over. This approach, while more hands-on, might save you time and trouble if shrinking during deployment isn’t reliable.

There’s no clear timeline for when this problem might be fixed, so staying in touch with AWS Support and sharing your experience can be helpful for everyone.