ApsaraDB RDS:[New Feature] RDS MySQL Global Active Database is released

Overview

GAD combines geo-disaster recovery and active geo-redundancy in a single end-to-end solution built on ApsaraDB RDS and Data Transmission Service (DTS). Each GAD instance group uses a star architecture with one primary instance and up to four secondary instances. Data is synchronized across regions or zones in real time through DTS, so applications can always connect to the nearest instance.

Benefits

• 60% lower data transfer costs — GAD uses serverless DTS synchronization tasks instead of requiring you to set up RDS and DTS separately, cutting data transmission costs by 60%. Free database proxies reduce overall deployment costs further.

• Production-ready in 5 minutes — Build a geo-disaster recovery architecture spanning three data centers across two regions in under 5 minutes, with automatic data synchronization links and one-click DR drills.

• Secure cross-border data transfer — GAD provides compliant links for cross-border data transfer, with built-in data consistency verification and correction to prevent dirty writes and eliminate double-write conflicts and replication loops.

Instance group types

GAD instance groups come in two types. Each instance runs RDS High-availability Edition or RDS Cluster Edition and supports one primary instance with up to four secondary instances.

DR instance group

A DR instance group has one primary instance handling read and write requests and multiple secondary instances handling only read requests. It supports one-way or two-way data synchronization between the primary and secondary instances.

Use when: Cross-region or cross-zone DR, DR drills, or meeting regulatory DR requirements.

Key capabilities:

• Switchover: If all nodes of the primary instance become unavailable, use the primary/secondary switchover feature to promote a secondary instance to primary and quickly restore application workloads.

• DR drills: Test failover with a few clicks.

• Compatible with cost-effective instance types: YiTian RDS instances, RDS clusters, and instances with database proxy enabled.

Important

The RDS disaster recovery instance feature has been upgraded to Global Active Database. Create a GAD instance group by adding a disaster recovery instance on the Basic Information page of a regular RDS instance (view usage method). GAD integrates the purchase and configuration of RDS and DTS, provides disaster recovery switchover capabilities, and satisfies both regulatory compliance and high data availability requirements.

Active geo-redundancy instance group

An active geo-redundancy instance group has one primary instance and multiple secondary instances that all accept read and write requests. It uses two-way data synchronization between the primary and secondary instances.

Use when: Multi-region deployment where all regions need to handle read and write traffic at low latency.

Key capabilities:

• Nearest data access reduces read/write latency for geographically distributed users.

• Strict data consistency verification prevents double-write conflicts and replication loops.

• Meets high-concurrency read/write requirements across regions.

Supported versions and regions

Limitations

• Synchronization between the Chinese mainland and regions outside the Chinese mainland is not supported.

• Only MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 are supported.

• Each instance group supports one primary instance and up to four secondary instances.

• Each instance must run RDS High-availability Edition or RDS Cluster Edition.

• Serverless billing is available for secondary instances only.

Billing

A GAD instance group incurs two types of fees: the fee for new RDS instances and the fee for DTS data synchronization links. Using an existing RDS instance to create an instance group or add it as a secondary instance does not generate a new RDS instance fee, but data synchronization link fees still apply.

Get started

Method 1: Add a new RDS MySQL instance as a secondary instance

1. Create a GAD instance group.

2. Create a new RDS MySQL instance and add it as a secondary instance. See Method 1: Create a new instance and add it as a secondary instance.

Method 2: Add an existing RDS MySQL instance as a secondary instance

1. Create a GAD instance group.

2. Add an existing RDS MySQL instance as a secondary instance. See Method 2: Add an existing instance as a secondary instance.