AWS re:Invent 2025 - Improve self-managed database performance and agility with Amazon FSx (STG337)

Improving Self-Managed Database Performance and Agility with Amazon FSx

Why Move Databases to the Cloud?

• Customers are moving to the cloud to:
  • Reduce data center footprint and costs
  • Focus on core business rather than IT infrastructure
  • Increase agility and speed to market
  • Leverage cloud security and data insights

Database Deployment Options in the Cloud

• Fully managed database services (e.g. Amazon RDS)
• Self-managed databases on cloud infrastructure
  • Reasons for self-managing databases:
    • Optimize TCO and licensing costs
    • Granular control over backup, recovery, and scaling
    • Customize the full infrastructure stack

The Importance of Storage for Databases

• Storage is a critical component of the database infrastructure stack
• Storage features and capabilities can significantly impact database performance and agility
• Customers often overlook the value that storage can provide for databases

Amazon FSx Overview

• FSx provides fully managed file systems based on popular protocols (SMB, NFS, iSCSI)
• Supports Windows, OpenZFS, and ONTAP file systems
• Designed to provide a "like-for-like" experience to on-premises file systems

Choosing the Right FSx File System

• Factors to consider:
  • Familiarity with file system protocols and administration
  • Unique features and capabilities of each FSx service
  • Resilience requirements (single-AZ vs. multi-AZ)
  • Data management capabilities (snapshots, replication, cloning)
  • Protocol support (block vs. file)
• FSx for Windows: SMB protocol, VSSS-compatible snapshots, AD integration
• FSx for OpenZFS: NFS protocol, rich data management, high performance
• FSx for ONTAP: Supports block (iSCSI, NVMe) and file (SMB, NFS) protocols, advanced data management

SQL Server on FSx for Windows

• Customers can leverage FSx for Windows to run SQL Server in a highly available configuration
• Potential for significant licensing cost savings by using SQL Standard instead of Enterprise
• Example: S&P Global migrated hundreds of SQL Server databases to FSx for Windows

Oracle on FSx for OpenZFS

• Customers can leverage FSx for OpenZFS to run Oracle databases with high performance and efficiency
• Onboard compression and deduplication can reduce storage requirements
• Example: Amdocs saw improved performance and reduced storage costs by moving Oracle to FSx for OpenZFS

Database Cloning and Snapshots

• FSx provides the ability to create point-in-time snapshots of databases
• Snapshots can be replicated to other regions for disaster recovery
• Clones can be created from snapshots, allowing for rapid provisioning of dev/test environments
• Clones are thin and consume minimal additional storage capacity

Demonstration Scenarios

1. SQL Server Disaster Recovery Testing

   • Created a snapshot of the production SQL Server database
   • Replicated the snapshot to a DR region
   • Cloned the snapshot to provision a read-write copy for DR testing
   • Validated the DR environment by inserting data and comparing to production

2. Oracle Development and Testing

   • Created snapshots of the production Oracle database volumes (data, logs, binaries)
   • Cloned the snapshots to provision a dev/test environment
   • Mounted the cloned volumes on the dev database server
   • Demonstrated the ability to create new database objects in the cloned environment

Key Takeaways

• FSx provides a range of file system options that can be tailored to the specific needs of self-managed databases
• Advanced features like snapshots, replication, and cloning can significantly improve database performance, agility, and cost-efficiency
• Customers can leverage FSx to create highly available, resilient, and easily testable database environments
• Examples demonstrate the real-world benefits of using FSx for both SQL Server and Oracle databases