AWS Aurora Support
Aurora Global Database disaster recovery.
Aurora Global Database replicates storage to secondary Regions with typically low lag, giving a fast Regional recovery path. The hard part is the plan around it: application endpoints, secrets, DNS and the difference between a planned switchover and an unplanned failover. We build and rehearse all of it.
When You Need This
The situations where this work pays for itself.
Signs it is time
- You need a documented Regional DR plan for your database
- Compliance asks for a defined RPO and RTO
- Users in another Region need local read latency
- You have a secondary Region but have never failed over
- You must plan application and DNS changes for the DR Region
What you get
- DR architecture with stated RPO and RTO assumptions
- Global database in infrastructure as code
- Switchover and failover runbooks with test results
- Lag alarms and an annual test schedule
How we do it
A clear, safe process you can follow along with.
1. Set RPO and RTO targets
We agree how much data loss and downtime the business tolerates. This decides between Global Database, cross-Region snapshots or logical replication.
2. Create the global cluster
We add a secondary Region to your existing Aurora cluster, matching engine version, instance sizes for the failover load, encryption keys in the target Region, and networking.
3. Prepare the application stack
We make sure the DR Region has app tier capacity, secrets, parameter settings, security groups and a DNS strategy, such as Route 53 records the failover process updates.
4. Monitor replication
We alarm on AuroraGlobalDBReplicationLag and ReplicationLag-related metrics. Lag at the time of an unplanned failover is the data you could lose.
5. Rehearse switchover
A planned switchover swaps primary and secondary with no data loss and is the right test and maintenance tool. We time it and note application steps.
6. Document unplanned failover
For a Regional outage you detach and promote the secondary. We write the exact steps, decision criteria, and how to rebuild the global cluster afterwards, then test them in a non-production environment.
7. Review write forwarding and reads
We decide whether secondary Regions serve local reads or use write forwarding, accepting its added latency and limits.
Mistakes we help you avoid
Common ways this goes wrong, and what we do instead.
Replicating the database but not the app
Recovery fails if secrets, networking and the app tier are missing in the second Region.
Undersizing the secondary
The DR instance must handle full production load after promotion.
Never practicing
An untested runbook fails under pressure. We rehearse.
Confusing switchover with failover
Only planned switchover guarantees no data loss. Unplanned failover can lose the latest writes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What RPO does Aurora Global Database give?
It depends on replication lag at the moment of failure. Lag is typically low but not fixed, so measure it and set alarms against your target.
What is the difference between switchover and failover?
Switchover is a planned role swap that waits for the secondary to catch up. Failover is for outages and promotes the secondary immediately, accepting possible loss of recent writes.
Does Global Database cost extra?
Yes. You pay for instances and storage in each Region plus cross-Region replicated write I/O. We model it against your RPO needs.
Want Help With Aurora Global Database disaster recovery?
Schedule an appointment. Tell us about your environment and we will outline the safest, highest-value approach.
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