To continuously optimize user experience, Alibaba Cloud no longer provides and supports ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances that run the X-Engine storage engine.
End-of-sale plan
Starting November 1, 2024 (UTC+8), RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine are no longer available for purchase.
Starting April 30, 2025 (UTC+8), existing RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine are no longer supported.
Impacts and suggestions
Impacts
If you are using or plan to create an RDS instance that runs the X-Engine storage engine, take note of the following items:
Starting November 1, 2024 (UTC+8), you can no longer create and renew RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine. ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL no longer supports feature iteration for RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine.
You can still use existing RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine and related features as expected before April 30, 2025 (UTC+8).
Starting April 30, 2025 (UTC+8), you can no longer use the database restoration feature for existing RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine. The database restoration feature is formerly known as instance cloning. For more information, see Restoration. In this case, if you continue to use existing RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine, you are responsible for potential risks and consequences. Alibaba Cloud no longer provides technical support and service for existing RDS instances that run the X-Engine storage engine. Technical support and service include but are not limited to document services and after-sales tickets.
Suggestions
To ensure business continuity, we recommend that you use the following transition solutions before April 30, 2025:
Change the storage engine of your RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB. For more information, see Change the storage engine of an RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB.
Migrate the data of an RDS instance that runs the X-Engine storage engine to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster based on the X-Engine storage engine. For more information, see Migrate data to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster based on the X-Engine storage engine.
Solutions
Solution 1: Change the storage engine of an RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB
You can execute the ALTER TABLE statement to change the storage engine of your RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB. However, if you directly execute the statement, DML operations may be blocked during the entire execution. In addition, a long period of time is required to migrate large tables, which adversely affects your workloads. We recommend that you use the lock-free schema change feature of Alibaba Cloud Data Management (DMS) to change the storage engine of your RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB. This way, DML operations are not blocked, and the storage engine of the RDS instance is smoothly changed. For more information, see What is DMS?
ALTER TABLE table_name ENGINE=InnoDB;You are charged when you use the lock-free schema change feature of Alibaba Cloud DMS. For more information, see Lock-free schema changes.
After you change the storage engine of an RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB, data bloat occurs because the X-Engine storage engine supports efficient data compression but the InnoDB storage engine does not support data compression. After the change, twice the original storage capacity is required. If the storage capacity of the RDS instance is exhausted by the bloated data, adverse events such as instance locking occur. To prevent the events, make sure that the automatic storage expansion feature is enabled. For more information, see Use the automatic storage expansion feature.
After you change the storage engine of an RDS instance from X-Engine to InnoDB, CPU utilization decreases but IOPS increases when the same amount of data is read. This is because the InnoDB storage engine does not support data compression. In this case, the required disk seek time during data reads increases and more disk sectors must be accessed. This causes frequent I/O operations and higher IOPS.
Solution 2: Migrate data to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster based on the X-Engine storage engine
PolarDB for MySQL provides features that are fully compatible with the X-Engine storage engine of ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL.
PolarDB for MySQL allows you to upgrade an RDS instance that uses the X-Engine storage engine to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster with a few clicks. The data compression ratio of the X-Engine storage engine for the RDS instance is the same as the data compression ratio for the PolarDB for MySQL cluster. The data compression capability is improved in subsequent versions. For more information, see Upgrade an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance that uses X-Engine to a PolarDB for MySQL cluster.