I just learned about AWS Database Savings Plans and I'm trying to figure out if they're something genuinely beneficial or if they'll just fade away. Previously, we had Savings Plans and Reserved Instances (RIs) which offered discounts between 5-60%, and now these new plans promise up to 35% off serverless database usage. Here are my main thoughts: 1. What's the reason to adopt this new discount plan specifically for databases when RIs already provide better discounts? 2. In what situations do AWS Database Savings Plans outperform RIs, particularly for storage? 3. Will the reseller model still offer advantages like better discounts and flexibility? Looking for some insights—thanks a lot!
5 Answers
AWS Database Savings Plans aren't designed to replace RIs but fill a gap for dynamic workloads like serverless setups and fluctuating databases. They provide flexible hour commitments across various engines and sizes, making it easier to shift workloads without losing discounts. For stable, provisioned instances, RIs still offer better discounts, but these new plans are gold for more flexible or serverless scenarios.
RIs tie you down to a specific instance type, and with how quickly new instance types come out, it might actually cost you more if you're stuck with an RI instead of upgrading to a better one that could significantly improve performance.
Thanks for the info!
We're looking to implement this in our accounts: checking Savings Plans recommendations, getting a plan for 80% coverage (to cover potential instance downsizing), and setting up budget alerts for RDS utilization. We'll reevaluate the setup after one year.
Sounds like a solid plan! What's the 20% that isn't covered in your Savings Plan?
I really hope these plans stick around! I bought an RDS plan just after they were introduced and I'm already seeing savings.
That’s awesome! How much are you saving on average each month?
Same here! We're saving over 10 grand a month across our organization.
The Database Savings Plans are actually the only way to snag discounts on serverless databases, right? Before this, it was tricky to get those kinds of savings.
Is that the only major advantage they offer?
Can you give an example where performance improved by switching to a new instance type? I assume the other parameters generally stay the same?