Backup and Restore AWS RDS Databases with Snapshots

Lab Details

1. This lab walks you through the steps to create RDS Backup Database Snapshots.
   
2. You will practice using RDS databases and creating these point-in-time snapshots.
   
3. Duration: 2 hours
   
4. AWS Region: US East (N. Virginia).
   

Lab Tasks

1. Log into the AWS Management Console.
   
2. Create an RDS Database.
   
3. Create a table.
   
4. Create a Database Backup.
   
5. Create Database Snapshots.
   
6. Restore the Database.
   

Architecture Diagram

Steps

Creating a RDS Database

1. Navigate to Services at the top and choose RDS under the Database section.
   
2. Make sure you are in the N.Virginia region.
   
3. Click on  in the Create database section.
   
4. Click on Switch to your original interface at the top of your screen.
   

   
   

• Let’s configure the database.
  
• Select Engine:
  
  • Select the checkbox in the bottom of the page to see only the settings available under the free tier.
    
  • Choose MySql and click on Next.
    
• Specify DB Details:
  
  • Instance specifications
    
    • License model        : general-public-license
      
    • DB engine version        : Leave it as the default version.
      
    • DB instance class        : db.t2.micro — 1 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM
      
    • Multi-AZ deployment            : default No.
      
    • Storage type                    : General Purpose (SSD)
      
    • Allocated storage                 : 20 (default)
      
    • Enable storage autoscaling         : Uncheck
      
  • Settings
    
    • DB instance identifier    : whizdbinstance
      
    • Master username                 : whizdbuser
      
      • Note: This is the username you used to log into your database.
        
    • Master password and Confirm password: whizlabdatabase
      
    • Type the password again in the Confirm Password box.
      
      • Note: This is the password used to log onto your database. Please make note of them.
        
    • Choose Next.
      
• Configure advanced settings:
  
  • Network & Security
    
    • Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)    : default VPC
      
    • Subnet group            : default
      
    • Public accessibility        : Choose Yes
      
    • Availability zone        : default No Preference
      
    • VPC security groups    : Choose Create new VPC security group
      
  • Database Options
    
    • Database name                : whizdb
      

    Note: Keep a note of this Database name.
    

  • Database port        : default 3306
    
  • IAM DB authentication    : default Disable
    
  • Option group                    : default
    
  • DB parameter group                : default
    

• Encryption
  
  • Encryption: Disabled by default.
    
• Backup
  
  • Backup retention period    : 0
    
  • Backup window        : disabled by default
    
  • Copy tags To snapshots    : check
    
• Monitoring
  
  • Enhanced monitoring    : Choose Disable enhanced monitoring
    
  • Log Exports
    
  • Not needed for the purpose of this lab.
    
• Maintenance
  
  • Auto minor version upgrade     : Choose Disable auto minor version upgrade
    
  • Maintenance window        : Choose No Preference
    
• Deletion Protection
  
  • Deletion protection     : Uncheck 
    
  • Once all the configurations are done properly, click on .
    

1. Click on the created database. Under Connectivity and Security, click the VPC Security groups.
   
2. Choose the Inbound Rules and click on Edit Inbound Rules.
   
3. Remove the source of IP address and select Anywhere (0.0.0.0/0) and click on Save rules.
   
4. Navigate to .
   
5. On the RDS console, the details for the new DB instance appear. The DB instance has a status of creating until the DB instance is ready to use. When the state changes to Available, you can connect to the DB instance. It can take up to 20 minutes before the new instance status becomes Available.
   

Connecting to RDS Database

1. Navigate to MySQL Workbench and click on .
   
2. Enter the Connection Name : whizlabdb and copy / paste the Host Name. It will be under Connectivity and Security inside your Database.
   
3. Enter the username: whizdbuser (Master Username) and enter the password: whizlabdatabase and store the password in a vault. Use the same password as above.
   
4. Click on Test Connection and click on Ok.
   

1. Enter the database and type show databases; now you will see the table created above whizdb.
   

Creating a Snapshot

1. Now take a snapshot by clicking on Snapshots in the left side panel and then on Take Snapshot.
   
2. Choose the DB Instance you created (i.e whizdbinstance) to take a snapshot.
   
3. Enter the snapshot name : whizsnap and click on Take Snapshot.
   
4. Once the snapshot is created successfully, your screen will look similar to the screenshot below.
   

1. You can check the snapshot details by clicking on the snapshot and viewing the details of your DB Instance.
   

Creating a Backup

• Enter into the snapshot created above and click on “Action” then choose Restore Snapshot.
  
• Choose DB Engine                       : MySQL Community Edition 
  
• License model                : general-public-license
  
• DB instance class                : db.t2.micro — 1 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM
  
• Multi-AZ deployment            : default No.
  
• Storage type                    : General Purpose (SSD).
  
• Enter DB Instance Identifier        : whizsnaprestore.
  
• Network & Security
  
  • Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)    : default VPC
    
  • Subnet group            : default
    
  • Public accessibility        : Choose Yes
    
  • Availability zone        : default No Preference
    
  • VPC security groups : Choose Create Existing VPC security group and select “Security group created by the above database”.
    
• Database Options
  
  • Database port        : default 3306
    
  • DB parameter group                : default
    
  • Option group                    : default
    
  • IAM DB authentication    : default Disable  
    
•   Check copy tags of snapshots under “Backup” and leave the rest as default. Click on Restore DB Instance. 
  

 Note : It will take up to 20 minutes to create the Restore DB Instance.

1.  The restored instance will be created in a different AZ . Now you have successfully completed the lab.
   

Connecting to a Backup Database

1. Navigate to MySQL Workbench and click on .
   
2. Enter the Connection Name : whizlabrestore db and copy / paste the Host Name. It will be under Connectivity and Security inside your Database.
   
3.  Enter the the username: whizdbuser (Master Username) and enter the password: whizlabdatabase and store the password in a vault. The password will be the same as above.
   
4. Click on Test Connection and click on Ok.
   

1.  Enter the database then type show databases; now you can see the restored database table whizdb.
   

Completion and Conclusion

1. You have successfully created the RDS Database.
   
2. You have successfully created a snapshots for the Database.
   
3. You have successfully restored a database from a snapshots.
   
4. You have successfully completed the Lab.