Amazon RDS Now Supports Custom SQL Server Images

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) now supports creating custom SQL Server database images using a Custom Engine Version (CEV). Businesses can use Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server using Custom Engine Version to build new custom images based on an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with the required Windows operating system (OS), database customizations, and third-party software. They can then create RDS custom images for SQL Server instances using these new golden images.

Previously, any OS customizations implemented using RDS Custom for SQL Server could not be persisted. This caused problems for cases like disaster recovery scenarios requiring businesses to manually restore all of their customizations. With the new CEV capability, OS customizations can persist across database instances without requiring businesses to redo their customizations.

RDS Custom for SQL Server enables database administrators to customize the OS and database environment enabling SQL Server workloads to run legacy and packaged applications that require specialized customizations. For example, customizations can allow SQL Server to access sysadmin, xp_cmdshell, or third-party agents as well as applications like Microsoft Sharepoint and Microsoft Dynamics. These customizations are persistent and can be made into images.

Viewing CEV details for Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server
Viewing CEV details for Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server (image credit: Amazon.com)

Main advantages of using RDS Custom for SQL Server with a CEV

Some of the main advantages of using Amazon RDS customizations include:

  • Ability to customize the OS, database configuration, and third-party drivers and applications.
  • Automating administrative requirements needed to apply customizations.
  • Support for unique application requirements.
  • Facilitating the migration of databases to the cloud.
  • Providing your customized database with cloud scalability and resiliency.
  • Enabling businesses to take advantage of the pay-per-use cloud pricing model for their custom databases.

Amazon RDS Custom for SQL Server is generally available in the following regions: US East (Ohio, N. Virginia), US West (Oregon), Asia Pacific (Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo), Canada (Central), Europe (Frankfurt, Ireland, London, Stockholm), and South America (São Paulo).

You can find out more about how to get started with AWS RDS Custom for SQL Server using CEV at the Amazon RDS Custom website. More details about how CEV is priced can be found at Amazon RDS Custom pricing.