Amazon AWS:: Which service should I use?

Question

I am planning to host my iphone game on amazon aws. Basically my game just need a database, and currently I am using mysql (relational database) to store users data.

I am new to amazon aws, and I have read some of the articles. This page: http://aws.amazon.com/running_databases/ provides some available choices for databases.

1. RDS (relational database services)
2. EC2 with Relational Database AMI (it has mysql)
3. simpleDB

I think I will skip simpleDB, because I have read the sample codes, the database structure is kind of different from relational db, no join tables, all data stored in strings. The current game that I am developing is already in relational form, with all the php codes already, maybe for future project, I could consider it.

Now, left RDS and EC2, which one should I use? In comparison in costs, performances, reliability and stability? My game server requirements:

• MySQL database (as I only familiar with this database engine and I already developed the game half way, no time to re-write or learn new language)

• Easy to scale

• Load balancing

• Automatic backup

• (if possible, less maintenance works in future)

Please give me some advice, thank you very much.

Answer 1

For your requirement of load balancing and easy scaling you will need a dedicated instance for database. Your EC2 instances hosting your game would be behind load balancer and those will all connect to one database on dedicated instance. That dedicated instance hosting your database could be RDS or EC2 instance. RDS is expensive but has its benefits.

Answer 2

As you have already chosen MySQL on AWS, the question is only whether you want to host the Database Server on the Instance or through AWS RDS Service.

In comparison in costs, performances, reliability and stability and the your game server requirements: MySQL database Easy to scale, Load balancing, Automatic backup, (if possible, less maintenance works in future),

AWS RDS would be the BEST option.

As once you scale the Environment, it might be complex and needs lot of processing and maintaining if you host it on the INSTANCE.

While AWS RDS makes it easy for you.

Hope It Helps.. :)

Answer 3

If you need EC2 instance(s) anyway (for web hosting for instance) then hosting MySQL on an EC2 instance that you are already paying for is going to be cheaper...

But as your load goes up I would definitely look towards RDS for easier scaling, reduced admin overhead, better disaster recover story, etc... No reason in my opinion to host MySQL on dedicated EC2 instances...