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ApsaraDB RDS:Release notes

Last Updated:Mar 26, 2026

This topic lists the latest product and documentation updates for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL.

Note

For information about RDS kernel version updates, see ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL AliSQL kernel minor version release notes.

2026

February

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Enhancement

Maximum storage capacity increased for RDS MySQL instances with high-performance local disks

The maximum storage capacity for RDS MySQL primary and read-only instances that use high-performance local disks increases to 24,000 GB from 16,000 GB. This change meets the growing demand for storage.

02-28

Enhancement

Migrate from high-performance local disks to cloud disks

You can now migrate instances from high-performance local disks to cloud disks, even with TDE or SSL encryption enabled.

02-24

Change high-performance local disk to cloud disk

January

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

RDS AI Assistant (Professional Edition) is now available

RDS AI Assistant (Professional Edition) is now generally available, offering several enterprise-grade capabilities:

  • API access
    Use APIs to integrate the assistant's features into your in-house O&M platforms or automated workflows.



  • Scheduled batch instance inspections
    Perform automated, periodic health checks on multiple instances to proactively identify potential issues.



  • Lark ecosystem integration
    Push critical database alerts and optimization suggestions directly to your team's Lark groups for faster response times.



01-23

2025

December

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

DuckDB analytic primary instance

RDS introduces the DuckDB analytic primary instance, a standalone database instance that deeply integrates the DuckDB engine into the MySQL kernel. Using columnar storage and vectorized computing, it delivers analytic query performance more than 100 times faster than the MySQL InnoDB engine. Columnar storage compression also reduces storage costs. It retains the core features of RDS MySQL and is fully compatible with the MySQL ecosystem and usage patterns. You can use it just like a standard RDS MySQL instance. It provides robust transaction support and real-time data analytics capabilities to accelerate data-driven decision-making.

Dec 04

November

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

New

RDS MySQL vector storage

RDS MySQL now features deeply integrated, enterprise-grade vector processing. It natively supports vector storage and computation for up to 16,383 dimensions and uses an optimized HNSW algorithm for high-performance retrieval. This enables the rapid deployment of AI applications, such as knowledge base retrieval, semantic search, and recommendation systems, within the MySQL ecosystem.

11-28

Vector storage

Enhancement

RDS DuckDB read-only instance specification updates

We've updated the specifications for RDS DuckDB analytical read-only instances (High-availability Edition). New, cost-effective general-purpose types are now available, and dedicated instance types have been upgraded, offering you more choices.

11-01

October

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

New

New RDS MySQL zone in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)

Added Zone C to the Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) region. The region now has three zones. This enables three-zone disaster recovery architectures for high-compliance industries like finance.

Oct 30

-

New

New RDS MySQL zone in UAE (Dubai)

Added Zone B to the UAE (Dubai) region. The region now has two zones, enabling cross-zone high-availability architectures for disaster recovery.

Oct 30

-

Enhancement

Blue-green deployment

The blue-green deployment feature for RDS MySQL now supports major version upgrades from 5.6 to 5.7 and from 5.6 to 8.0, in addition to the existing support for 5.7 to 8.0 upgrades.

Oct 15

blue-green deployment

New

HTAP-based automatic query routing for RDS MySQL

If your business requires both high-concurrency online transaction processing (OLTP) and complex online analytical processing (OLAP), you can add DuckDB-based analytical read-only instances to your RDS for MySQL instance. This setup allows you to implement HTAP-based query routing through a database proxy. OLAP queries are routed to the DuckDB-based analytical read-only instances, while OLTP queries are routed to the primary RDS instance or regular read-only instances. This architecture enables enterprise users efficiently handle HTAP queries.

Oct 14

September

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

Increased maximum connections and maximum IOPS for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL

Starting September 19, 2025 (Singapore Time), the default maximum connections and maximum IOPS for some dedicated instances of ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL that use Premium Local SSDs increase.

Sep 19

New

Performance burst

Starting September 16, 2025 (Singapore time), the performance burst feature is billable. For more information, see the official billing announcement.

Sep 02

Performance burst

August

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

New

New instance types and increased storage capacity for Premium Local SSD

To meet diverse business needs, RDS MySQL offers new primary instance types that use Premium Local SSD. The maximum storage capacity for these instances has been increased to 16,000 GB.

Aug 27

New

DuckDB-based analytical instance

RDS MySQL introduces the DuckDB-based analytical instance. This instance uses columnar storage and vectorized computing to achieve up to a 100-fold performance increase for complex analytical queries, enabling real-time analytics on large datasets.

Aug 06

Add a DuckDB-based Analytical Read-only Instance to RDS MySQL High-Availability Edition

New

blue-green deployment

Blue-green deployment enables seamless version upgrades through redundant deployment. The system creates a synchronized staging environment (green) alongside the production environment (blue) for testing and validation. This feature enables fast switchovers between environments without application changes, minimizing service interruptions and providing quick rollbacks.

Important

The blue-green deployment feature is currently available only to whitelisted users. To request access, Submit a ticket. You can use the feature once your request is approved.

Aug 01

Blue-green Deployment

July

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

Custom password policy

RDS for MySQL 8.0 instances support the validate_password plugin to customize password policies and enhance database access security. You can modify password complexity validation rules, including password length and password strength check level.

07-25

Configure a custom password policy

New feature

Global Active Database

RDS MySQL now supports Global Active Database (GAD). Built on RDS MySQL and Data Transmission Service (DTS), GAD is an all-in-one, cost-effective solution for comprehensive disaster recovery and multi-active deployment.

07-09

June

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

Improved SLA for ApsaraDB RDS multi-zone deployment instances

ApsaraDB RDS improves the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for High-availability Edition and Cluster Edition instances in multi-zone deployments, raising the SLA to 99.995% for dual-zone deployments and 99.997% for those across three or more zones.

Jun 15

[Product/Feature Change] Improve SLA for ApsaraDB RDS multi-zone deployment instances

May

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

New

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition primary instance specifications

Added a 128-core, 512 GB specification (mysql.x4.16xlarge.2c) for primary instances of ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition with cloud disks.

05-29

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition (formerly x86) primary instance specifications

New

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition read-only instance specifications

Added a 128-core, 512 GB specification (mysqlro.x4.16xlarge.1c) for read-only instances of ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition with cloud disks.

05-15

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition (formerly x86) read-only instance specifications

Enhancement

Upgrade from High-availability Edition to Cluster Edition

You can now retain the database proxy when upgrading an instance from High-availability Edition to Cluster Edition.

05-12

April

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

Maximum storage capacity of Premium Local SSDs

RDS for MySQL now supports up to 16,000 GB of storage capacity for primary and read-only instances that use Premium Local SSDs.

04-15

New feature

Instant Add Column

The Instant Add Column feature in RDS for MySQL optimizes ADD COLUMN operations by modifying metadata in the data dictionary. This method avoids rebuilding the entire table—a requirement of traditional DDL operations—and completes the operation in seconds, regardless of the table size.

04-14

Instant Add Column

February

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

SSL encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 8.0 now supports mandatory SSL encryption for direct MySQL connections.

Feb 25

SSL encryption

New feature

storage compression

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports storage compression for instances that use Premium ESSDs and Premium Local SSDs. This feature compresses data at the storage layer to reduce storage costs.

Feb 25

Storage compression

New feature

Consistency levels for database proxy

The ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL database proxy now supports three consistency levels in read/write (read/write splitting) mode: eventual consistency, session consistency, and global consistency.

Feb 24

Set a consistency level

Enhancement

Increased storage capacity for Premium Local SSDs

The maximum storage capacity increases from 6,000 GB to 8,000 GB for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL High-availability Edition primary and read-only instances that have 32 or more cores and use Premium Local SSDs.

Feb 21

January

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Enhancement

Disk encryption

Disk encryption, previously available only for new instances, can now be enabled on existing instances.

01-17

Disk encryption

Enhancement

SSL encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.7 instances now support mandatory SSL encryption. This mode is compatible with direct MySQL connections.

01-08

SSL link encryption

2024

December

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Enhancement

Disk Encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition general-purpose instances now support disk encryption at no additional cost. You can enable this feature when you create an instance. This feature secures your data by encrypting the data disk at the block level.

12-18

New

RDS native replication

Native replication instances are a new, cost-effective, and self-managed product type for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL in the cloud-native era. By leveraging multi-level capabilities of the kernel and control plane, these instances provide features such as network and permission compatibility. You can also use native MySQL replication commands to manage replication and node topology.

12-06

RDS native replication

New

16KB atomic write

Enabling the 16KB atomic write feature for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL ensures that each data page write is atomic. This allows you to safely disable the InnoDB doublewrite mechanism. As a result, you can reduce I/O writes, simplify dirty page flushing, and significantly lower the IOPS and bandwidth required for disk writes, improving instance write performance.

12-03

16KB atomic write

November

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

Maximum IOPS increased for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances with Premium Local SSDs

The maximum IOPS for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances with Premium Local SSDs, including primary and read-only instances, has been increased to 150,000. This increase comes at no additional cost.

Nov 29

[Product/Feature Change] Maximum IOPS increased for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances with Premium Local SSDs

New

Support for setting the minimum number of retained instances in the database proxy

You can set a minimum number of retained instances in the database proxy. This ensures that the cluster keeps a specific number of read-only nodes available to process read requests during anomalies, such as a primary node failure or replication interruption.

Nov 26

Set the readable policy for replication exceptions

Optimized

Support for changing the key for encrypted cloud disks

You can now change the encryption key for encrypted cloud disks on ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL dedicated instances.

Nov 22

Cloud disk encryption

New

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL high-availability instances with cloud disks now support TDE

Transparent data encryption (TDE) is now available for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL high-availability instances with cloud disks. This feature performs real-time I/O encryption and decryption of your data files.

Nov 14

Configure TDE

October

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL database proxy supports cross-availability zone deployment and nearest access

The database proxy for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports cross-availability zone deployment and nearest access. You can now deploy your application, proxy nodes, and read-only nodes in the same availability zone to minimize latency.

Oct 22

New

New instance types for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition primary instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL adds two new instance types for its Standard Edition (formerly x86) primary instances: 64-core 128 GB (mysql.x2.8xlarge.xc) and 64-core 256 GB (mysql.x4.8xlarge.xc).

Oct 18

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Standard Edition (formerly x86) primary instance types

September

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Database and table restoration

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances now support restoring databases and tables. You can use this feature to quickly recover from user error or to analyze historical data.

Sep 14

Restore databases and tables

Optimized

Column encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now lets you configure column encryption rules and related user role permissions in the console, in addition to using SQL.

Sep 13

Configure column encryption rules in the console

Optimized

Upgrade database version

You can now upgrade ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances and High-availability Edition instances with read-only instances from version 5.7 to 8.0.

Sep 01

Upgrade database version

August

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

Add nodes to a cluster instance

When adding a node to an RDS Cluster Edition instance, you can select an instance type different from that of the primary instance.

Aug 30

Add a node to an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

New

Database proxy

Database proxy versions 2.9.1 and later support setting a connection pool and latency threshold for read-only endpoints.

Aug 29

New

Database proxy

You can enable the database proxy feature on the purchase page.

Aug 13

New

Database proxy

Starting August 1, 2024, version 2.9.1 of the ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL database proxy supports persistent connections during failover. This reduces the risk of database connection interruptions and improves connection reliability.

Aug 1

July

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

Automatic performance scaling

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL extends automatic performance scaling to High-availability Edition general-purpose instances that use cloud disks or Premium Local SSDs. This feature automatically adjusts an instance's compute resources (CPU and memory) to match your workload. It scales up to handle peak traffic and scales in during off-peak periods to reduce costs.

Jul 05

New

SSL with custom certificates

SSL encryption protects data in transit between your client and your ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance. This prevents eavesdropping, interception, or modification by a third party. When you enable SSL encryption, you can now use your own custom certificate or the cloud certificate provided by Alibaba Cloud.

Jul 02

June

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

zero-ETL

ApsaraDB RDS provides zero-ETL to synchronize data to a data warehouse, such as AnalyticDB for MySQL or ClickHouse. This eliminates the need to build and maintain a data synchronization pipeline. This feature is free of charge and reduces data transfer and O&M costs.

Jun 30

New

YiTian Edition

  • New region: Indonesia (Jakarta) zones A and B.

  • New zones: China (Hong Kong) zone B and China (Hangzhou) zone B.

Jun 30

Regions and zones FAQ

New

Persistent connection

As of June 27, 2024, the database proxy for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition supports persistent connections.

Jun 27

New

Read-only instances

As of June 20, 2024, ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL offers Standard Edition read-only instance types for Basic Edition instances. To offload database pressure, you can create one or more read-only instances to handle a large volume of read requests and increase application throughput.

Jun 20

[New Feature] ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL introduces Basic Edition read-only instances starting from June 20, 2024

New

MySQL major version upgrade

A new pre-check feature is now available for MySQL major version upgrades.

Jun 20

Major version upgrade check report

New

Premium ESSD

Premium ESSD is a new storage type for ApsaraDB RDS. It offers all the features of ESSDs, and adds support for performance burst, Buffer Pool Extension (BPE), and data archiving to OSS.

Jun 20

New

Serverless

Instances with Premium ESSDs support conversion between pay-as-you-go and Serverless.

Jun 06

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Serverless instances

New

Serverless

Serverless supports disk encryption.

Jun 06

Disk encryption

Optimized

MySQL major version upgrade

The MySQL major version upgrade process no longer includes the logical check for SSL.

Jun 03

Upgrade database version

May

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.7 supports YiTian Edition

Built on Alibaba Cloud's self-developed YiTian ARM chip, YiTian Edition offers cost-effective instance types that help you quickly create database instances and lower IT costs.

May 29

New

YiTian Edition primary instance type

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL YiTian Edition is available in the following availability zone:

China (Hong Kong) Zone D

May 20

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL YiTian Edition (formerly ARM) primary instance types

New

Database proxy availability zone migration

You can migrate a database proxy for an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance to any other availability zone within the same region.

May 16

Migrate a proxy availability zone

April

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

New purchase page

The new ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL purchase page offers a simpler, more convenient user experience.

04-29

Create an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

New

Cross-region backup and recovery

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances now support cross-region backup and recovery. When enabled, this feature automatically backs up your data to another region. This supports regulatory compliance and disaster recovery scenarios.

04-23

New

Download backup

You can now download backup files in CSV format with table headers from ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL cloud disk instances. This feature is useful for data analytics and offline data archiving. You can also restore the downloaded CSV or SQL backup files to a self-managed MySQL database.

04-15

Optimized

Serverless instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Serverless instances are now available in 19 more regions:

South Korea (Seoul) Zone A

Thailand (Bangkok) Zone A

Philippines (Manila) Zone A

Japan (Tokyo) Zone A, Zone B

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) Zone B

US (Silicon Valley) Zone A, Zone B

US (Virginia) Zone A, Zone B

UK (London) Zone A, Zone B

China (Shanghai) Zone M, Zone N, Zone E, Zone G, Zone F, Zone B, Zone L

China (Beijing) Zone L, Zone I, Zone H, Zone G, Zone K

China (Hangzhou) Zone J, Zone K

China (Qingdao) Zone C

China (Zhangjiakou) Zone A, Zone B, Zone C

China (Hohhot) Zone A, Zone B

China (Ulanqab) Zone A, Zone B, Zone C

China (Shenzhen) Zone E, Zone F

China (Heyuan) Zone A, Zone B

China (Guangzhou) Zone A, Zone B

China (Chengdu) Zone A, Zone B

04-13

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Serverless instances

March

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Major engine version upgrade for cloud disk instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic and High-availability Edition instances with ESSDs (excluding read-only instances) support upgrading the database version from 5.7 to 8.0.

Mar 28

Upgrade the major engine version of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

Optimized

Change configuration

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL supports changing the storage type from Premium Local SSD to ESSD for improved elasticity.

Mar 20

Change the storage type from Premium Local SSD to cloud disk

February

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

SSL encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition instances support SSL encryption.

02-26

Quickly enable SSL encryption using a cloud certificate

New

confidential database

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports the confidential database feature. This feature provides an encryption solution to protect your data from unauthorized access and help you comply with data protection regulations.

02-22

Confidential database (public preview)

January

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Enhancement

Point-in-time recovery policy

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL supports point-in-time recovery (PITR), which enhances the log backup capability. By enabling the Point-in-time Restore switch and setting the Point-in-time Restore Period, you can restore your instance to any point in time within the specified period. This feature prevents the expiration of the earliest full backup set from shortening the recoverable time range.

Jan 30

Configure a point-in-time restoration policy

Enhancement

ESSD

The maximum storage capacity for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances that use ESSDs (PL1, PL2, and PL3) has increased from 32 TB to 64 TB.

Jan 29

Product specifications

New

New YiTian and Standard Edition instance types for Basic Edition instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition adds 1-core 1 GB, 1-core 2 GB, 2-core 2 GB, and 2-core 4 GB YiTian Edition instance types. For example, in the Singapore region, the monthly compute price for the new 1-core 1 GB and 1-core 2 GB ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances is only USD 3 and USD 4, respectively. Annual subscriptions offer even greater savings. Purchase now

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition also adds 4-core 8 GB and 8-core 16 GB Standard Edition instance types.

Jan 05

New

Whitelist template

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports whitelist templates. This allows you to define rules in a whitelist template and then apply the template to multiple ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances.

Jan 03

Use a whitelist template to configure whitelists in batches

2023

December

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Binlog Cache Free Flush

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL introduces Binlog Cache Free Flush to improve instance stability. This feature resolves issues caused by large transaction commits, including excessive binlog write times, instances becoming unwritable, and instance hangs.

12-28

Optimize large transaction commits

New

Backup retention policy for released instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL cloud disk instances, including Serverless instances, now support long-term backup retention, which allows you to keep backup files even after an instance is released.

12-25

Long-term backup retention

New

Database proxy

The database proxy for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL High-availability Edition cloud disk instances now supports persistent connections. This feature keeps application connections to the database proxy active during an RDS instance active switchover, which enhances availability.

12-15

Configure persistent connections

New

Database proxy

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now offers a general-purpose database proxy that is free of charge.

12-15

October

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Enhancement

Cluster Edition instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances now support direct endpoints for cluster nodes.

Oct. 20

View and manage instance endpoints and ports

Enhancement

Cluster Edition instances

The maximum number of secondary nodes for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances is now eight, an increase from four. You can now configure a cluster with one primary node and up to eight secondary nodes (nine nodes in total).

Oct. 20

Cluster Edition

Enhancement

Serverless instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Serverless instances on High-availability Edition now support minor engine version upgrades.

Oct. 20

Upgrade the minor engine version of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

Enhancement

Serverless instances

The maximum RDS Capacity Units (RCUs) for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Serverless instances is now 32, an increase from 16. The configurable RCU range is now [0.5, 32].

Oct. 18

Configure a Serverless instance

September

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Enhancement

serverless instance

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL serverless instances now support the High-availability Edition.

Sep 25

Serverless fees

Enhancement

serverless instance

The configurable RCU range for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL serverless instances has been expanded from [0.5, 8] to [0.5, 16].

Sep 15

Configure a serverless instance

August

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

parameter diagnostics

Diagnoses database instance parameters and provides static diagnostic results and a 7-day history of parameter modifications.

Aug 07

Parameter diagnostics

June

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Set instance parameters

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports modifying the innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit and sync_binlog parameters.

June 25

Adjust the innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit and sync_binlog parameters

April

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Enhancement

Change configuration

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition and High-availability Edition instances with cloud disks now support manual scale-in of ESSDs.

Apr 21

Scale in an ESSD

Enhancement

Automatic storage expansion

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances now support automatic storage expansion.

Apr 19

Enhancement

Change configuration

You can now change the architecture of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance between the x86 and ARM architectures.

Apr 17

Overview of instance configuration changes

Enhancement

Cluster Edition instances

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 now support Cluster Edition instances, which support a high-availability deployment of one primary node and up to four readable secondary nodes.

Apr 14

Cluster Edition

Enhancement

Replication mode

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Cluster Edition instances now support MySQL Group Replication (MGR).

Apr 14

Use MySQL Group Replication

Enhancement

Upgrade edition

You can now upgrade ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 8.0 and 5.7 High-availability Edition instances with ESSDs to Cluster Edition.

Apr 14

Upgrade an instance from High-availability Edition to Cluster Edition

New

ARM architecture instances

You can now create ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances based on the ARM architecture.

Apr 03

Compute architecture type

March

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

high-frequency physical backup

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 8.0 High-availability Edition instances with local SSDs support high-frequency physical backup, allowing for more frequent backups.

03-29

High-frequency physical backup

Optimized

Create instance

You can now specify the instance port when you create an RDS instance.

03-16

Create an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

February

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

database and table restoration

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL cloud disk instances now support fast restoration for individual databases and tables. You can restore specified databases or tables to the original instance from a backup set or to a point in time. This helps you quickly recover from operational errors and analyze historical data.

Feb 15

Restore databases and tables

New

Performance Insight (New Version)

This feature uses MySQL performance_schema to aggregate SQL information, assess database load, identify root causes of performance issues, and recommend mitigations to improve stability.

Feb 07

Performance Insight (New Version)

January

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Optimization

monitoring and alerting

In addition to the Classic View, new diagnostic views for common issue scenarios show key metric trends to help you quickly identify root causes.

Jan 13

View monitoring information

New

Set instance parameters

You can now modify the max_user_connections and max_connections parameters on ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances with cloud disks.

Jan 03

Modify the maximum number of connections

New

Task Center

ApsaraDB RDS now includes the Task Center. Use it to view current task progress, review historical task details, and modify the execution time for some switchover operations.

Jan 03

Task Center

2022

December

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Performance events

The performance events feature allows you to view details and statistics for exception, optimization, and auto scaling events related to your database instance, including scheduled, in-progress, and completed events.

12-30

View performance events

New

Cross-region backup

  • ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL Basic Edition and High-availability Edition instances with cloud disks now support cross-region backups in the RDS console, allowing you to back up data to another region for regulatory compliance or disaster recovery.

  • ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server 2017 Enterprise Cluster Edition instances support cross-region backups in the RDS console when using the snapshot backup method, allowing you to back up data to another region for regulatory compliance or disaster recovery.

12-15

MySQL cross-region backup

Optimized

Instance locking

  • When an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance is locked, the system detects temporary space usage and displays a notification in the RDS console if the usage is excessive. In this situation, you can restart the instance from the RDS console.

  • After an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance is locked, the system indicates whether a local configuration change is supported for the selected disk range. This allows you to quickly perform a local configuration change to unlock the instance in urgent scenarios.

12-09

Not applicable

November

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Self-service connection diagnosis

The self-service connection diagnosis feature lets you diagnose the internal network address of an ECS instance and the public IP address of a client that accesses an RDS instance, and then resolve any discovered issues.

Nov 28

Self-service connection diagnosis

New

Serverless general availability

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL serverless is now generally available. It provides real-time elasticity for CPU and memory, supports automatic start/stop, and allows forced scaling.

Nov 10

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL serverless instances

September

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Delete manual backup sets

You can now delete manual backup sets in the RDS console.

09-14

Delete or reduce backups

Optimized

Advanced Download

The Advanced Download feature now supports the Singapore, US (Silicon Valley), and US (Virginia) regions.

09-05

Download a backup file

New

instance parameters

A new instance parameter, innodb_temp_data_file_path, is now available. It allows you to set an upper limit on the temporary tablespace. If an SQL statement creates a temporary tablespace that exceeds this limit, the statement fails. The instance must be restarted for this change to take effect.

Note

This parameter is supported only by ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.7.

09-01

Set instance parameters

August

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

minor kernel version release

The AliSQL 20220530 minor version is now available.

Aug 10

AliSQL minor version release notes

New

Advanced Download

You can create an Advanced Download task for a specific point in time or a specified backup set. You can choose to download the data via a URL or write it directly to Object Storage Service (OSS).

Aug 05

Download a backup file

July

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

disabled keywords

Updated the disabled keywords table for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL.

Jul 22

disabled keywords table

New

high-frequency physical backup

Added support for high-frequency physical backup to ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL, enabling more frequent backups.

Jul 20

high-frequency physical backup

June

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Monitoring metrics

Added the MySQL_ROW_LOCK (row-level locking) and MySQL_SelectScan (number of full table scans) monitoring metrics.

June 28

View monitoring information

Performance metric table

New

Minor kernel version release

Released AliSQL minor version 20220523.

June 14

Release notes for AliSQL

Enhancement

Change configuration

Increases to storage space or changes to the ESSD cloud disk type now take effect immediately without interrupting your services.

June 14

Change configuration

Enhancement

VPC switching for cloud disk instances

Cloud disk instances with a minor kernel version of 20201031 or later now support direct VPC changes.

June 13

Change the VPC and VSwitch

Enhancement

SSL certificate expiration notification and automatic renewal

Before an SSL certificate expires, Alibaba Cloud sends you reminders by email, and internal messages in the Event Center. The certificate is also automatically renewed.

June 9

Enable SSL encryption using a cloud-managed certificate

May

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

New minor kernel version

AliSQL minor version 20220430 is now available.

05-28

Release notes for AliSQL

New

Performance Center

The new Performance Center includes Inspection and Scoring and the Monitoring dashboard.

  • Inspection and Scoring: Available only for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL.

  • Monitoring dashboard: Available only for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL, ApsaraDB RDS for PostgreSQL, and ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server.

Note

We started gradually rolling out the Performance Center for ApsaraDB RDS on May 20, 2022.

05-20

New

Enterprise-level console

The ApsaraDB RDS Enterprise-level console is now generally available. It improves operational efficiency for enterprise customers by allowing batch operations, such as modifying parameters, editing tags, renewing instances, and changing instance properties.

05-11

Create a tag

Renewal instructions

Set instance parameters

Set a maintenance window

New

New minor kernel version

AliSQL minor version 20220331 is now available.

05-05

Release notes for AliSQL

April

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

RAM access policy

You can use a RAM access policy to restrict a RAM user's permissions based on 12 conditions.

Apr 14

Use a RAM access policy to restrict the permissions of a RAM user

March

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Advanced download and restore from backup sets

Use the Advanced Download feature to convert backup files into CSV format, download them to a local machine, and restore them to a local MySQL database.

Mar 18

Download a backup file

Optimized

Primary/secondary switchover logs

In the RDS console, the primary/secondary switchover log feature has been moved from the Log Management page to the Service Availability page.

Mar 16

Manage a primary/secondary switchover

New

Fast database and table restoration

This feature offers significantly faster recovery times than standard database and table restoration.

Mar 08

Restore databases and tables

New

Flexible snapshot retention policy

When you enable Second-level Snapshot, you can also enable the Increase Snapshot Frequency option, which updates the snapshot retention policy.

Mar 08

Configure automatic backups

New

Instance release protection

For critical business workloads, you can enable instance release protection on your pay-as-you-go instances. This feature prevents accidental manual deletion of instances, mitigating the risk of irreversible data loss caused by operational errors or miscommunication.

Mar 08

Enable or disable instance release protection

Optimized

Minor kernel version release

AliSQL minor kernel version 20211231 is now available. This version incorporates changes from the official MySQL 5.7.35 release and provides performance optimizations.

Mar 06

AliSQL minor kernel version release notes

2021

December

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Prevent creation of RDS instances with unencrypted disks

Configure a RAM access policy to prevent a RAM user from creating RDS instances with unencrypted disks.

12-20

Use a RAM access policy to restrict the permissions of a RAM user

New

Migrate cloud disk instances across zones

You can now migrate ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL cloud disk instances across zones.

12-14

Migrate an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance across zones

November

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

cross-region backup

The cross-region backup feature for ApsaraDB RDS now supports additional regions.

Nov 26

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL cross-region backup

New

Commercialization of public network backup download

ApsaraDB RDS now charges public network traffic fees for backup downloads that exceed the free quota.

Nov 25

[Activity/Price Adjustment] Commercialization of the backup download feature for instances with premium local SSDs

October

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Upgrade from MySQL 8.0 basic edition to high-availability edition

You can now upgrade MySQL 8.0 basic edition to high-availability edition.

Oct 28

Upgrade from basic edition to high-availability edition

Optimized

Upgrade from MySQL 5.6 to MySQL 5.7

You can now upgrade from MySQL 5.6 to 5.7 in all regions.

Oct 28

Upgrade the major engine version of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

September

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Optimized

The DescribeDBInstances operation supports a new pagination method

Use the MaxResults parameter to set the number of records per page and the NextToken parameter as the pagination token to retrieve subsequent pages. Set NextToken to the value returned from the previous call to the DescribeDBInstances operation.

09-15

Query a list of instances

New

Upgrade from MySQL 5.6 to MySQL 5.7

Upgrading from MySQL 5.6 to 5.7 is now available as a limited preview in Singapore.

09-25

Upgrade the major engine version of an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

August

Category

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New feature

TDE support for RDS for MySQL 5.7 three-node Enterprise Edition

Transparent data encryption (TDE) encrypts and decrypts data files in real time without requiring application changes.

08-16

Set up transparent data encryption (TDE)

New feature

Automatic performance scaling for local SSD instances

The automatic performance scaling feature of Database Autonomy Service (DAS) automatically scales the performance of RDS for MySQL instances to handle peak traffic and maintain business stability.

08-16

Configure automatic performance scaling

Optimization

CreateDBInstance API enhancements

You can now use the CreateDBInstance API to create multiple RDS for MySQL instances in a single call.

08-13

Create an RDS instance

July

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

automatic performance scaling

The automatic performance scaling feature in Database Autonomy Service (DAS) automatically scales the performance of RDS MySQL instances to handle peak traffic, ensuring your online services remain stable.

July 1

Configure automatic performance scaling

June

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New feature

one-click alerting

Enable one-click alerting to quickly establish an alerting system for RDS. This feature promptly notifies you of anomalies in key metrics.

06-01

Manage alerts

New feature

New metric

A new metric in the console now tracks the number of bytes written to the redo log per second.

06-01

View monitoring information

May

Type

Feature name

Description

Release date

References

New

Zone selection for secondary nodes

ApsaraDB RDS lets you select the zone for a secondary node.

May 27

Create an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance

March

Type

Feature

Description

Release date

References

New

Custom database version upgrade time

You can now select a custom time to upgrade your database from MySQL 5.5 to 5.6.

Mar 26

database version upgrade

New

Custom password policy

You can now customize the password complexity rules for MySQL 5.7 instances.

Mar 12

custom password policy

Optimization

Instance recycle bin policy change

Eligible instances now move to the instance recycle bin upon expiration or release.

Mar 12

instance recycle bin

2020

December

Feature name

Description

Release date

References

ESSD support for basic edition

RDS for MySQL basic edition instances now support ESSDs.

2020-12-15

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

ESSD capacity expansion

The ESSD capacity for RDS for MySQL high-availability edition instances can now be expanded to 32,000 GB.

2020-12-15

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

September

Feature

Description

Release date

References

AliSQL

AliSQL version 20200831 introduces support for start and end GTIDs in the binlog tool, optimizes the CCL wait and concurrency mechanism, and supports outputting LSN values from the redo log.

2020-09-09

AliSQL kernel release notes for minor versions

RAM authorization

Best practice: Use Resource Access Management (RAM) to authorize RAM users to manage RDS instances.

2020-09-08

Use RAM to authorize access to an RDS instance

August

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Dedicated proxy

You can now create, modify, and delete dedicated proxy endpoints.

2020-08-20

What is a database proxy?

Transparent data encryption

MySQL 8.0 High-availability Edition instances that use high-performance local disks now support transparent data encryption (TDE).

2020-08-12

Configure TDE

July

Feature

Description

Date

References

Second-level backup

For ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instances that use ESSDs, you can enable second-level backup in the Backup Settings. After you enable this feature, backup jobs complete in seconds. This feature is ideal for urgent backup scenarios, such as creating a database backup before an emergency release.

2020-07-28

automatic backup

AliSQL

AliSQL version 20200630 is now available. This release supports Performance Agent and Faster DDL, and increases the maximum number of connections. This release also introduces a new global parameter, max_execution_time, and optimizes the thread pool. This version also fixes two bugs: one that prevented standard accounts from running the DROP DATABASE command, and another that caused an incorrect wait count when reading client commands.

2020-07-20

AliSQL kernel release notes for minor versions

June

Feature name

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Online capacity expansion

You can now perform online capacity expansion for the storage of MySQL cloud disk instances. This feature is available for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0, and the expansion completes in about 5 minutes.

2020-06-19

Change configurations

Account name length

The maximum account name length for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 is now 32 characters.

2020-06-16

Create an account

May

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

Minor version upgrade

You can select a minor version upgrade policy when you create a new RDS for MySQL instance.

2020-05-15

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

Database and table recovery

Database and table recovery for MySQL is now four times more efficient.

2020-05-12

Restore databases and tables

April

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Cross-region data restoration

You can now restore cross-region backups of ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL to existing instances.

2020-04-24

Restore data across regions

Memory management

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL now supports custom memory management.

2020-04-22

Adjust the buffer pool size of an instance

Billing method

You can now change the billing method of an ApsaraDB RDS instance from subscription to pay-as-you-go.

2020-04-21

Change the billing method from subscription to pay-as-you-go

Dedicated proxy

You can now customize dedicated proxy endpoints for ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL.

2020-04-15

What is a database proxy?

Data restoration

You can now use auto-renewal when restoring an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL database to a new instance.

2020-04-14

Restore a full backup

SSL encryption

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 three-node Enterprise Edition instances now support SSL encryption.

2020-04-09

Use a cloud certificate to quickly enable SSL encryption

Database-level and table-level restoration

ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL 8.0 now supports database-level and table-level backup and restoration.

2020-04-01

Restore databases and tables

March

Feature

Description

Release date

References

Dedicated proxy

You can now upgrade a shared database proxy to a dedicated proxy for an RDS for MySQL instance in one click.

2020-03-20

What is a database proxy?

Dedicated cluster

RDS for MySQL dedicated clusters (formerly host groups) now support MySQL 5.6 instances.

2020-03-18

Dedicated clusters

Dedicated proxy

The dedicated proxy for RDS for MySQL now supports MySQL 5.6 High-availability Edition instances that use high-performance local disks.

2020-03-13

What is a database proxy?

Alert rule

Alert rules for RDS for MySQL now feature an improved alert granularity of 1 minute and support for more engine metrics.

2020-03-02

Manage alerts

February

Feature

Description

Release date

Documentation

RDS Enterprise Edition

RDS Enterprise Edition for RDS for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 is available in all regions.

2020-02-28

RDS Enterprise Edition

primary node zone

RDS for MySQL now supports single-zone and multi-zone deployment. You can specify the availability zone for the primary node.

2020-02-27

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

Long-term backup file retention

RDS for MySQL now supports long-term retention of backup files.

2020-02-26

Automatic backup

storage types

RDS for MySQL now supports ESSD PL2 and ESSD PL3 as new storage types.

2020-02-21

Storage types

edition change

You can now change the edition of an RDS for MySQL 5.6 instance from RDS Enterprise Edition to High-availability Edition with a single click.

2020-02-13

Change configurations

Multiple ECS security groups

RDS for MySQL now lets you add multiple Elastic Compute Service (ECS) security groups to a whitelist. This raises the maximum number of security groups from 1 to 10.

2020-02-04

(Deprecated and redirected to "Step 2") Connect to an RDS for MySQL instance using a client or the command line

January

Feature name

Description

Release date

References

X-Engine

X-Engine is a storage engine from Alibaba Cloud for online transaction processing (OLTP) databases. It features an ultra-high compression ratio, making it ideal for applications with large data volumes.

2020-01-15

Introduction to X-Engine

Dedicated cluster monitoring

You can now monitor and configure alerts for physical servers in RDS for MySQL dedicated clusters, which simplifies host management.

2020-01-15

View host information

System parameter templates

System parameter templates are now available for RDS for MySQL, including default high-availability and high-performance templates.

2020-01-14

Use parameter templates

Performance Insight for MySQL

Performance Insight is now available for RDS for MySQL High-availability Edition and Enterprise Edition.

2020-01-09

Performance Insight (original version)

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

TDE, including support for BYOK, is now available on RDS for MySQL 5.7 High-availability Edition instances that use high-performance local disks.

2020-01-07

Configure TDE

2019

December

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Dedicated proxy

The database proxy feature is now available for RDS Enterprise Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7/8.0.

2019-12-25

What is a database proxy?

RDS Enterprise Edition

RDS Enterprise Edition is now available for RDS for MySQL 8.0.

2019-12-24

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

Dedicated cluster

RDS for MySQL dedicated clusters now support ECS Bare Metal Instances based on the X-Dragon architecture. You can create RDS for MySQL instances that use ESSD storage on these clusters.

2019-12-19

Add a host

Dedicated proxy

The dedicated proxy feature is now available for High-availability Edition cloud disk instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0.

2019-12-17

What is a database proxy?

November

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

New instance types

General-purpose instance types are now available for RDS Enterprise Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7.

2019-11-24

Primary instance types

SQL Explorer

RDS Enterprise Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 now support SQL Explorer.

2019-11-21

SQL Explorer and Audit

Read-only instances

RDS Enterprise Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 now support read-only instances.

2019-11-19

Create an RDS for MySQL read-only instance

New instance types

New instance types are available for High-availability Edition cloud disk instances of RDS for MySQL. The new instance types provide 12, 24, 52, and 104 CPU cores.

2019-11-15

Primary instance types

New instance type

RDS for MySQL 8.0 Basic Edition now supports an instance type with 1 CPU core and 1 GiB of memory.

2019-11-12

Primary instance types

October

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Dedicated proxy

The dedicated proxy feature is now available for High-availability Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 that use local SSDs. This feature supports read/write splitting and optimization for short-lived connections.

2019-10-28

What is a database proxy?

Dedicated proxy

The dedicated proxy feature is now available for High-availability Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 8.0 that use local SSDs. This feature supports read/write splitting and optimization for short-lived connections.

2019-10-15

What is a database proxy?

Price reduction for all cloud disk instances

Prices of all RDS for MySQL cloud disk instances have been reduced by up to 50%.

2019-10-15

Billable items

September

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Optimized storage range for high-performance local disks of dedicated instances

The storage range for high-performance local disks on dedicated RDS for MySQL instances has been optimized.

2019-09-18

Primary instance types

Upgrade from Basic Edition to High-availability Edition

You can now upgrade RDS for MySQL instances from Basic Edition to High-availability Edition.

2019-09-15

Change instance configurations

New instance types

A new dedicated physical server instance type with 90 CPU cores and 720 GB of memory is now available for RDS for MySQL.

2019-09-15

Primary instance types

New purchase page

ApsaraDB RDS launches a new purchase page.

2019-09-12

Create an RDS for MySQL instance

Change VPC

You can now change the Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) for an RDS for MySQL instance.

2019-09-12

Switch the VPC and VSwitch

August

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Parameter templates

Parameter templates for RDS for MySQL let you manage instance parameters in batches.

2019-08-27

Use parameter templates

Disable SSL

RDS for MySQL now supports disabling SSL encryption for databases.

2019-08-23

Use a cloud certificate to quickly enable SSL encryption

Temporarily disable automatic HA switchover

RDS for MySQL now supports temporarily disabling automatic high availability (HA) switchover for up to one week.

2019-08-22

Manage primary/secondary switchover

Database-level and table-level backup and recovery

The backup and recovery feature for RDS for MySQL 5.6 and 5.7 instances now supports backup and recovery at the database and table levels.

2019-08-20

Restore databases and tables

Rebuild an instance from the recycle bin

You can now rebuild expired subscription instances of RDS for MySQL from the recycle bin.

2019-08-16

Instance recycle bin

Cross-region backup

RDS for MySQL now supports backing up files to other regions.

2019-08-13

Cross-region backup

Optimized time range for log queries in SQL Explorer

The time range for SQL Explorer queries in RDS for MySQL is now limited to one day to improve query speed.

2019-08-08

SQL Explorer and Audit

SQL Explorer supports High-availability Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 with cloud disks

The SQL Explorer feature is now available for High-availability Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 that use cloud disks. When enabled, this feature records all SQL statements executed on the database.

2019-08-01

SQL Explorer and Audit

July

Feature

Description

Release date

Related documentation

Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)

RDS for MySQL 5.6 now supports Bring Your Own Key (BYOK).

2019-07-30

Configure TDE

Modify the port for a VPC connection

You can now modify the database connection port for an RDS for MySQL instance in a VPC.

2019-07-29

Configure an endpoint

Support for up to 16 TB of storage

High-availability Edition instances of RDS for MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 with ESSDs now support up to 16 TB of storage.

2019-07-29

Primary instance types

Support for 5-year subscription

ApsaraDB RDS now supports five-year subscriptions.

2019-07-20

Create an RDS for MySQL instance