Amazon Aurora vs PostgreSQL: What are the differences?
Amazon Aurora and PostgreSQL are relational database management systems that are different in terms of their architecture, scalability, performance, and managed services. Here are the key differences between Amazon Aurora and PostgreSQL:
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Architecture: Amazon Aurora is a cloud-native database engine developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that is compatible with PostgreSQL. It is designed for high-performance and scalability, utilizing a distributed storage architecture that separates compute and storage layers. PostgreSQL, on the other hand, is a traditional open-source database management system that follows a monolithic architecture where computing and storage are tightly coupled.
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Scalability and Performance: Amazon Aurora surpasses PostgreSQL in scalability and performance. Its shared storage architecture, automatic scaling, and replication capabilities enable efficient handling of high workloads and fast read/write performance. Additional features like read replicas and multi-master capability enhance scalability and availability. Conversely, PostgreSQL can scale vertically with more server resources but requires manual configuration for horizontal scaling.
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Managed Services: Amazon Aurora is a managed database service provided by AWS, which means that AWS handles tasks such as software patching, backups, and database maintenance. This offloads the administrative burden from the users, allowing them to focus on application development. PostgreSQL, on the other hand, can be self-managed or used with managed PostgreSQL services offered by cloud providers. Self-managing PostgreSQL requires more effort for tasks like backups, upgrades, and monitoring.
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Features and Extensions: PostgreSQL has a rich set of features and extensions, offering advanced indexing, JSON support, and a diverse collection of built-in functions. Its thriving community constantly enriches its ecosystem with additional extensions and plugins. Amazon Aurora, being based on PostgreSQL, shares most of its features and is compatible with PostgreSQL extensions.
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Cost: Amazon Aurora is a paid service offered by AWS, and the cost depends on factors such as database instance size, storage usage, and data transfer. While it offers high-performance and managed services, it comes with associated costs. PostgreSQL, on the other hand, being open-source, is free to use. However, if you choose a managed PostgreSQL service from a cloud provider, there will be associated costs based on the service plan and usage.
In summary, Amazon Aurora is a cloud-native, highly scalable, and managed database service with excellent performance, while PostgreSQL is a feature-rich, open-source database management system that offers flexibility but requires more manual management.
