This topic describes how to change the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. The specifications include the RDS edition, instance type, and storage capacity.

For more information about how to change the specifications of an RDS instance that runs a different database engine, see the following topics:

Prerequisites

  • No renewal orders are overdue within your Alibaba Cloud account.
  • Your RDS instance is in the Running state.

Limits

  • After you submit a specification change order, you cannot cancel the order. Proceed with caution when you submit a specification change order.
  • When you change the specifications of a read-only RDS instance, the primary RDS instance to which the read-only RDS is attached must be in the Running state.
  • You can reconfigure only the items that are listed in ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL configuration items.

Impacts

  • If your RDS instance is equipped with local SSDs and the zone where your RDS instance resides cannot provide sufficient resources, ApsaraDB RDS migrates the data of your RDS instance to a new RDS instance after you submit a specification change order. The incremental data that is generated on your RDS instance during the migration process is continuously synchronized to the new RDS instance. After the migration process is complete, ApsaraDB RDS switches your workloads over to the new RDS instance during the switching time that you specify. The migration causes a network interruption or a transient connection depending on the RDS edition of your RDS instance. During the network interruption or the transient connection, you cannot perform most of the operations that are related to databases, accounts, and network settings.
    Note
    • If you are using the RDS Basic Edition, your RDS instance is not provided with a secondary RDS instance as a hot standby. A specification change causes a network interruption that lasts 30 minutes or more. We recommend that you change the specifications of your RDS instance during off-peak hours and make sure that your application is configured to automatically reconnect to your RDS instance.
    • If you are not using the RDS Basic Edition, a specification change causes a transient connection that lasts approximately 30 seconds. We recommend that you change the specifications of your RDS instance during off-peak hours and make sure that your application is configured to automatically reconnect to your RDS instance.
  • After you change the specifications of your RDS instance, the instance automatically restarts. You do not need to manually restart the instance.
  • After you change the specifications of your RDS instance, the ID and endpoints of the instance remain unchanged.
  • If your RDS instance is equipped with standard SSDs or enhanced SSDs (ESSDs) and does not run the RDS Basic Edition, the data of your RDS instance does not need to be migrated to a new RDS instance when you expand the storage capacity. Therefore, no transient connections occur.

Billing

For more information, see Specification change fees.

Procedure

  1. Visit the RDS instance list, select a region above, and click the target instance ID.
  2. In the Configuration Information section of the Basic Information page, click Change Specifications.
  3. In the dialog box that appears, select a change method and click Next step. This step is required only for subscription RDS instances.
    Note You can select one of the following change methods:

    Upgrade or Downgrade

    The new specifications immediately take effect after you submit the specification change order. The two methods are supported by subscription RDS instances and pay-as-you-go RDS instances.

    After you submit a specification change order, ApsaraDB RDS replicates the data of the RDS instance to a new RDS instance. Then, ApsaraDB RDS replicates the information about the original RDS instance to the new RDS instance based on the change method that you select. This information includes the ID and endpoints of your RDS instance.

  4. Change the specifications of the RDS instance.
    Note
    • You can change the instance type and storage capacity of the RDS instance without the need to consider the instance configuration.
    • If the RDS instance runs MySQL 5.6 on RDS Enterprise Edition, you can downgrade the RDS edition of the instance to the High-availability Edition.
    • If the RDS instance runs MySQL 5.7 or MySQL 8.0 on RDS Basic Edition, you can upgrade the RDS edition of the instance to the High-availability Edition.
    • The new specifications that you configure for the RDS instance must meet your business requirements.
  5. Specify the Switching Time parameter.
    • Switch Immediately After Data Migration: ApsaraDB RDS switches your workloads over to the new RDS instance immediately after the data of the original RDS instance is migrated to the new RDS instance.
    • Switch Within Maintenance Window: ApsaraDB RDS switches your workloads over to the new RDS instance within the planned maintenance window. For more information, see Set the maintenance window of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
    Note
    • If you are using the RDS Basic Edition, the RDS instance is not provided with a secondary RDS instance as a hot standby. Therefore, your database service is unavailable for 30 minutes or more during a specification change. We recommend that you change the specifications of the RDS instance during off-peak hours to prevent interruptions to your workloads.
    • If you are not using the RDS Basic Edition, a transient connection that lasts approximately 30 seconds may occur during the specification change. The transient connection does not interrupt your workloads. However, we still recommend that you change the specifications of the RDS instance during off-peak hours or make sure that your application is configured to automatically reconnect to the RDS instance.
    • If you select Switch Within Maintenance Window, the RDS instance remains in the Upgrading state until the switchover is complete. During the switchover, you cannot perform operations on the RDS instance. For example, you cannot upgrade or downgrade the RDS instance, upgrade the database engine version of the RDS instance, or migrate the RDS instance across zones.
  6. Read and select Terms of Service, click Pay Now, and then complete the payment.
    Warning
    • After you submit a specification change order, you cannot cancel the order. Therefore, before you submit a specification change order, we recommend that you evaluate whether the new specifications meet your business requirements.
    • After you submit a specification change order, do not perform DDL operations before the specification change is applied.

FAQ

  • How do I change the storage type of my RDS instance between local SSDs, standard SSDs, and enhanced SSDs (ESSDs)?

    For more information, How do I migrate an ApsaraDB RDS instance from standard or enhanced SSDs to local SSDs?

  • What do I do if an error that indicates insufficient storage resources is reported when I expand the storage capacity of my RDS instance?

    Migrate your RDS instance to a different zone that can provide sufficient storage resources. Then, expand the storage capacity of your RDS instance. For more information, see Migrate an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance across zones in the same region. After you migrate your RDS instance to a different zone, the endpoints of your RDS instance remain unchanged. However, the IP addresses that are bound to the endpoints change. Make sure that your application is configured to automatically reconnect to your RDS instance.

  • Does ApsaraDB RDS migrate the data of my RDS instance to a new RDS instance if I expand only the storage capacity of my RDS instance?

    In most cases, if your RDS instance is equipped with standard SSDs or ESSDs and does not run the RDS Basic Edition, no transient connections occur when you expand the storage capacity. If your RDS instance is equipped with local SSDs, you may encounter the following circumstances:

    • The host on which your RDS instance is deployed can provide sufficient storage resources. In this case, you can directly expand the storage capacity. The expansion process does not interrupt your workloads.
    • The host on which your RDS instance is deployed cannot provide sufficient storage resources. In this case, ApsaraDB RDS creates new primary and secondary RDS instances on a different eligible host. Then, ApsaraDB RDS synchronizes the data of your original RDS instance to the new primary and secondary RDS instances. The synchronization process does not interrupt the workloads on your original RDS instance. However, after the synchronization process is complete, a transient connection that lasts approximately 30 seconds occurs.
    Note You cannot obtain the available storage of the host on which an RDS instance is deployed.
  • Does ApsaraDB RDS automatically upgrade the read-only RDS instances that are attached to my primary RDS instance when I upgrade my primary RDS instance?

    No, you must manually upgrade the read-only RDS instances that are attached to your primary RDS instance after you upgrade your primary RDS instance.

  • Are my online workloads interrupted when I change the specifications of my RDS instance?

    For more information, see the "Impacts" section of this topic.

  • Do the endpoints of my RDS instance change after I change the specifications of my RDS instance?

    No, the endpoints of your RDS instance remain unchanged after you change the specifications of your RDS instance. An example endpoint is rm-bpxxxxx.mysql.rds.aliyuncs.com. However, the IP addresses that are bound to the endpoints may change. We recommend that you add the endpoints to your application. Do not add the IP addresses to your application.

  • Which factors affect the amount of time that is required to change the specifications of my RDS instance?

    For more information, Which factors affect the time that is required to change the specifications of my ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance?

Related operations

Operation Description
ModifyDBInstanceSpec Changes the specifications of an ApsaraDB RDS instance.