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DBaaS FAQ

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MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL. Each DBaaS instance runs one of the three. See DBaaS engines and versions.

Yes, into a DBaaS instance of the same engine, with the engine’s own dump tool. Tables, views, and stored procedures import on every engine, and so do triggers on PostgreSQL. On MySQL and MariaDB, point every DEFINER at the admin user, and to import triggers and stored functions, set log_bin_trust_function_creators to 1 in a parameter group that is attached to the DBaaS instance and synced. See Import a database into a DBaaS instance.

Yes. On every engine, the admin user creates users and grants them rights. On MySQL and MariaDB, create each user for any host, as '<user>'@'%', where <user> is the user’s name. On PostgreSQL, create a role with LOGIN and grant it the rights it needs. Use the whitelist to choose which addresses can connect. See Manage database users on a DBaaS instance.

No. You get the admin user, which has broad rights on a DBaaS instance, without SUPER on MySQL and MariaDB or superuser rights on PostgreSQL. On MySQL and MariaDB the admin user creates and drops databases, tables, views, and stored procedures, reads and changes data, and creates users and grants them rights. On PostgreSQL it creates databases and roles, and creates tables, views, functions, stored procedures, and triggers. These rights are the same on MySQL 8.0, MariaDB 10.6 and 10.11, and PostgreSQL 15 and 18. See Manage database users on a DBaaS instance.

Which character set does a new database use?

Section titled “Which character set does a new database use?”

MySQL uses utf8mb4 and PostgreSQL uses UTF8. On MariaDB, the database created with the DBaaS instance uses utf8mb3, and a database you create yourself gets latin1 by default. These defaults hold on MySQL 8.0, MariaDB 10.6 and 10.11, and PostgreSQL 15 and 18. To store every language and emoji on MariaDB, name the character set when you create a database, with <database-name> as its name:

CREATE DATABASE `<database-name>` CHARACTER SET utf8mb4;

India Standard Time. MySQL and MariaDB run on IST, and PostgreSQL runs on Asia/Kolkata, which is the same time. That is true on MySQL 8.0, MariaDB 10.6 and 10.11, and PostgreSQL 15 and 18. On MySQL 8.0 and MariaDB 10.11, a parameter group can set a different time zone, such as UTC; see Common parameter group settings.

On DBaaS limits: Read Replicas, VPCs, disk size, names, passwords, snapshot windows, and alert values.

Delhi and Chennai. See Create a DBaaS instance.

When does billing for a new DBaaS instance start?

Section titled “When does billing for a new DBaaS instance start?”

When the status reads Deploying, while the DBaaS instance finishes setting up. It reads Running once you can connect. See DBaaS states.

Yes. A stopped DBaaS instance is billed as usual until you delete it, and so are its Read Replicas. See Start, stop, and restart a DBaaS instance.

Does a committed plan renew automatically?

Section titled “Does a committed plan renew automatically?”

Yes, by default. To move to hourly billing at the end of the period instead, open Committed Settings in the DBaaS instance’s More Actions menu. See Convert a DBaaS instance to a committed plan.

Will I be reminded before a committed plan renews?

Section titled “Will I be reminded before a committed plan renews?”

Yes. Reminder emails arrive before the period ends, including one a day before on every plan and one three days before on every plan except the seven-day plan. Another email follows when the plan renews or switches to hourly billing. See Convert a DBaaS instance to a committed plan.

What happens if my prepaid credit is too low when a committed plan renews?

Section titled “What happens if my prepaid credit is too low when a committed plan renews?”

The DBaaS instance moves to hourly billing instead of renewing, and you get an email saying so. To keep the committed rate, add infra credits before the end date. See Convert a DBaaS instance to a committed plan.

Does a stopped DBaaS instance on a committed plan still renew?

Section titled “Does a stopped DBaaS instance on a committed plan still renew?”

Yes. Stopping leaves the committed plan in place, so a stopped DBaaS instance renews at the end of its period, and its billing carries on. See Convert a DBaaS instance to a committed plan.

Yes. You pay for each Read Replica separately, on top of the primary, at its plan’s hourly rate or on its own committed plan. See Read Replicas.

What happens to Read Replicas when I stop a DBaaS instance?

Section titled “What happens to Read Replicas when I stop a DBaaS instance?”

Stopping stops the primary, and its Read Replicas keep running and billing. The stopped primary is billed too. To stop a replica’s charge, delete the replica. See Read Replicas.

What happens to Read Replicas when I upgrade the plan?

Section titled “What happens to Read Replicas when I upgrade the plan?”

An upgrade resizes the primary. Existing Read Replicas keep their old plan and are billed at its rate, and a replica you add after the upgrade gets the new plan. See Upgrade a DBaaS instance’s plan.

Which plans can I move a DBaaS instance to?

Section titled “Which plans can I move a DBaaS instance to?”

Larger ones. An upgrade moves to a plan with at least as many vCPUs and as much disk, and the DBaaS instance stays on its new plan from then on. See Upgrade a DBaaS instance’s plan.

No. A plan upgrade keeps the DBaaS instance on its engine version. To run a newer version, create a new DBaaS instance on that version and copy your data into it; see Move a DBaaS instance to a newer engine version and DBaaS engines and versions.

How many Read Replicas can a DBaaS instance have?

Section titled “How many Read Replicas can a DBaaS instance have?”

Up to four. See Create a Read Replica.

Yes. You pay for the storage each snapshot uses, manual or scheduled, until you delete it. See Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots.

India Standard Time (IST). The windows are 12 AM to 1 AM, 8 AM to 9 AM, and 6 PM to 7 PM IST. For a Weekly or Monthly schedule where the exact day matters, choose the 8 AM or 6 PM window. See Schedule automatic snapshots.

Which snapshots does a lifecycle rule delete?

Section titled “Which snapshots does a lifecycle rule delete?”

A lifecycle rule deletes scheduled snapshots. The snapshots you take yourself stay until you delete them. See Schedule automatic snapshots.

Why does creating a DBaaS instance ask for more infra credits?

Section titled “Why does creating a DBaaS instance ask for more infra credits?”

On a prepaid account, you need enough infra credits to run the new DBaaS instance for about 24 hours. The same check applies when you add a Read Replica, restore a snapshot, or promote a replica. The message tells you how many more infra credits you need. See Create a DBaaS instance.

Open the DBaaS instance’s Monitoring tab: its space utilization graph shows how full the disk is. To get an email before it fills, create an alert with the Free Disk Space trigger; see Monitor a DBaaS instance and set alerts.

What happens to the disk size after I expand it?

Section titled “What happens to the disk size after I expand it?”

It stays at the new size for as long as the DBaaS instance exists. See Expand a DBaaS instance’s disk space.

When do I choose encryption for a DBaaS instance?

Section titled “When do I choose encryption for a DBaaS instance?”

You choose encryption when you create the DBaaS instance, and it stays on for as long as the DBaaS instance exists. See DBaaS encryption and SSL.

Yes, for a new DBaaS instance. SSL encrypts the connection to the DBaaS instance. On an older DBaaS instance, or one where SSL was turned off, turn it on from Enable SSL in the More Actions menu. See Enable SSL on a DBaaS instance.

What happens when I delete a DBaaS instance?

Section titled “What happens when I delete a DBaaS instance?”

Deleting permanently removes the DBaaS instance, every Read Replica it has, and all its snapshots. See Delete a DBaaS instance.

No. Snapshots stay in MyAccount, where you restore them into a new DBaaS instance; see Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots. To keep a copy of your data on your own machine, export it with the engine’s dump tool, as Import a database into a DBaaS instance shows.

Is a committed plan refunded when I delete the DBaaS instance?

Section titled “Is a committed plan refunded when I delete the DBaaS instance?”

No. The full committed cost is charged when you convert, and it stays charged when you delete the DBaaS instance before the period ends. See Convert a DBaaS instance to a committed plan.

No. Deleting is permanent, and its snapshots go with it. To keep the data, restore a snapshot into a new DBaaS instance before you delete; see Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots.

A Read Replica is created on the same plan as its primary and keeps that plan. Upgrading the primary’s plan later leaves existing replicas on their old plan. See Read Replicas.

Yes, between Delhi and Chennai. The primary needs SSL on, disk encryption off, and a VPC with an active peering connection to the other region. See Create a Read Replica.

Is there a limit on how many VPCs I can attach to a DBaaS instance?

Section titled “Is there a limit on how many VPCs I can attach to a DBaaS instance?”

Yes, up to three. See Attach a VPC to a DBaaS instance.

Yes. The new DBaaS instance stays independent of the one it came from. See Promote a Read Replica to Master Node.

No. Failover is a step you take yourself: when the primary needs replacing, promote one of its Read Replicas to a DBaaS instance of its own. See Promote a Read Replica to Master Node.

Can I move a DBaaS instance to another project?

Section titled “Can I move a DBaaS instance to another project?”

Yes. A DBaaS instance can go to any other project in your account. Before you move it, make sure it is Running or Stopped, has no VPC, parameter group, or tags attached, and none of its whitelisted IPs carries a tag. Every machine it runs on moves with it, and so does a committed plan on those machines. The instance keeps its region, plan, IP addresses, and data. The move does not restart it, and nothing is charged for it. See Move a DBaaS instance to another project.

Can I move a DBaaS instance together with its parameter group?

Section titled “Can I move a DBaaS instance together with its parameter group?”

No. Each one moves on its own: detach the parameter group from the DBaaS instance, move both, then attach the group again in the new project. See Move the parameter group too.