Amazon Aurora versions

Amazon Aurora reuses code and maintains compatibility with the underlying MySQL and PostgreSQL DB engines. However, Aurora has its own version numbers, release cycle, time line for version deprecation, and so on. The following section explains the common points and differences. This information can help you to decide such things as which version to choose and how to verify which features and fixes are available in each version. It can also help you to decide how often to upgrade and how to plan your upgrade process.

Relational databases that are available on Aurora

The following relational databases are available on Aurora:

• Amazon Aurora MySQL-Compatible Edition. For usage information, see Working with Amazon Aurora MySQL. For a detailed list of available versions, see Database engine updates for Amazon Aurora MySQL.

• Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition. For usage information, see Working with Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL. For a detailed list of available versions, see Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL updates.

Differences in version numbers between community databases and Aurora

Each Amazon Aurora version is compatible with a specific community database version of either MySQL or PostgreSQL. You can find the community version of your database using the version function and the Aurora version using the aurora_version function.

Examples for Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL are shown following.

mysql> select version();
+------------------+
|   version()      |
+------------------+
|  5.7.12          | 
+------------------+

mysql> select aurora_version(), @@aurora_version;
+------------------+------------------+
| aurora_version() | @@aurora_version |
+------------------+------------------+
| 2.08.1           | 2.08.1           |
+------------------+------------------+

postgres=> select version();
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PostgreSQL 11.7 on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by gcc (GCC) 4.9.3, 64-bit
(1 row)

postgres=> select aurora_version();
aurora_version
----------------
3.2.2

For more information, see Checking Aurora MySQL versions using SQL and Identifying versions of Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL.

Amazon Aurora major versions

Aurora versions use the major.minor.patch scheme. An Aurora major version refers to the MySQL or PostgreSQL community major version that Aurora is compatible with. Aurora MySQL and Aurora PostgreSQL major versions are available under standard support at least until community end of life for the corresponding community version. You can continue running a major version past its Aurora end of standard support date for a fee. For more information, see Using Amazon RDS Extended Support and Amazon Aurora pricing.

For more information on Aurora MySQL major versions and the release calendar, see Release calendar for Aurora MySQL major versions.

For more information on Aurora PostgreSQL major versions and the release calendar, see Release calendar for Aurora PostgreSQL major versions.

Note

Amazon RDS Extended Support for Aurora MySQL version 2 starts on November 1, 2024, but you won't be charged until December 1, 2024. Between November 1 and November 30, 2024, all Aurora MySQL version 2 DB clusters are covered under Amazon RDS Extended Support.

Amazon Aurora minor versions

Aurora versions use the major.minor.patch scheme. An Aurora minor version provides incremental community and Aurora-specific improvements to the service, for example new features and fixes.

For more information on Aurora MySQL minor versions and the release calendar, see Release calendar for Aurora MySQL minor versions.

For more information on Aurora PostgreSQL minor versions and the release calendar, see Release calendar for Aurora PostgreSQL minor versions.

Amazon Aurora patch versions

Aurora versions use the major.minor.patch scheme. An Aurora patch version includes important fixes added to a minor version after its initial release (for example, Aurora MySQL 2.10.0, 2.10.1, ..., 2.10.3). While each new minor version provides new Aurora features, new patch versions within a specific minor version are primarily used to resolve important issues.

For more information on patching, see Maintaining an Amazon Aurora DB cluster.

Learning what's new in each Amazon Aurora version

Each new Aurora version comes with release notes that list the new features, fixes, other enhancements, and so on that apply to each version.

For Aurora MySQL release notes, see Release Notes for Aurora MySQL. For Aurora PostgreSQL release notes, see Release Notes for Aurora PostgreSQL.

Specifying the Amazon Aurora database version for your database cluster

You can specify any currently available version (major and minor) when creating a new DB cluster using the Create database operation in the AWS Management Console, the AWS CLI, or the CreateDBCluster API operation. Not every Aurora database version is available in every AWS Region.

To learn how to create Aurora clusters, see Creating an Amazon Aurora DB cluster. To learn how to change the version of an existing Aurora cluster, see Modifying an Amazon Aurora DB cluster.

Default Amazon Aurora versions

When a new Aurora minor version contains significant improvements compared to a previous one, it's marked as the default version for new DB clusters. Typically, we release two default versions for each major version per year.

We recommend that you keep your DB cluster upgraded to the most current default minor version, because that version contains the latest security and functionality fixes.

Automatic minor version upgrades

You can stay up to date with Aurora minor versions by turning on Auto minor version upgrade for every DB instance in the Aurora cluster. Aurora only performs the automatic upgrade if all DB instances in your cluster have this setting turned on. Auto minor version upgrades are performed to the default minor version.

We typically schedule automatic upgrades twice a year for DB clusters that have the Auto minor version upgrade setting set to Yes. These upgrades are started during the maintenance window that you specify for your cluster. For more information, see Automatic minor version upgrades for Aurora DB clusters.

Automatic minor version upgrades are communicated in advance through an Amazon RDS DB cluster event with a category of maintenance and ID of RDS-EVENT-0156. For more information, see Amazon RDS event categories and event messages for Aurora.

How long Amazon Aurora major versions remain available

Amazon Aurora major versions remain available at least until community end of life for the corresponding community version. You can use Aurora end of standard support dates to plan your testing and upgrade cycles. These dates represent the earliest date that an upgrade to a newer version might be required. For more information on the dates, see Amazon Aurora major versions.

Before we ask that you upgrade to a newer major version and to help you plan, we generally provide a reminder at least 12 months in advance. We do so to communicate the detailed upgrade process. Details include the timing of certain milestones, the impact on your DB clusters, and the actions that we recommend that you take. We always recommend that you thoroughly test your applications with new database versions before performing a major version upgrade.

After the major version reaches the Aurora end of standard support, any DB cluster still running the older version will be automatically upgraded to an Extended Support version during a scheduled maintenance window. Extended Support charges may apply. For more information on Amazon RDS Extended Support, see Using Amazon RDS Extended support.

How often Amazon Aurora minor versions are released

In general, Amazon Aurora minor versions are released quarterly. The release schedule might vary to pick up additional features or fixes.

How long Amazon Aurora minor versions remain available

We intend to make each Amazon Aurora minor version of a particular major version available for at least 12 months. At the end of this period, Aurora might apply an auto minor version upgrade to the subsequent default minor version. Such an upgrade is started during the scheduled maintenance window for any cluster that is still running the older minor version.

We might replace a minor version of a particular major version sooner than the usual 12-month period if there are critical matters such as security issues, or if the major version has reached end of life.

Before beginning automatic upgrades of minor versions that are approaching end of life, we generally provide a reminder three months in advance. We do so to communicate the detailed upgrade process. Details include the timing of certain milestones, the impact on your DB clusters, and the actions that we recommend that you take. Notifications with less than three months notice are used when there are critical matters, such as security issues, that necessitate quicker action.

If you don't have the Auto minor version upgrade setting enabled, you get a reminder but no RDS event notification. Upgrades occur within a maintenance window after the mandatory upgrade deadline has passed.

If you do have the Auto minor version upgrade setting enabled, you get a reminder and an Amazon RDS DB cluster event with a category of maintenance and ID of RDS-EVENT-0156. Upgrades occur during the next maintenance window.

For more information on auto minor version upgrades, see Automatic minor version upgrades for Aurora DB clusters.

Long-term support for selected Amazon Aurora minor versions

For each Aurora major version, certain minor versions are designated as long-term-support (LTS) versions and made available for at least three years. That is, at least one minor version per major version is made available for longer than the typical 12 months. We generally provide a reminder six months before the end of this period. We do so to communicate the detailed upgrade process. Details include the timing of certain milestones, the impact on your DB clusters, and the actions that we recommend that you take. Notifications with less than six months notice are used when there are critical matters, such as security issues, that necessitate quicker action.

LTS minor versions include only critical fixes (through patch versions). An LTS version doesn't include new features released after its introduction. Once a year, DB clusters running on an LTS minor version are patched to the latest patch version of the LTS release. We do this patching to help ensure that you benefit from cumulative security and stability fixes. We might patch an LTS minor version more frequently if there are critical fixes, such as for security, that need to be applied.

Note

If you want to remain on an LTS minor version for the duration of its lifecycle, make sure to disable automatic minor version upgrade for your DB instances. To avoid automatically upgrading your DB cluster from the LTS minor version, clear the Enable auto minor version upgrade check box on any DB instance in your Aurora cluster.

For the version numbers of all Aurora LTS versions, see Aurora MySQL long-term support (LTS) releases and Using an Aurora PostgreSQL long-term support (LTS) release.

Amazon RDS Extended Support for selected Aurora versions

With Amazon RDS Extended Support, you can continue running your database on a major engine version past the Aurora end of standard support date for an additional cost. During RDS Extended Support, Amazon RDS will supply patches for Critical and High CVEs as defined by the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) CVSS severity ratings. For more information, see Using Amazon RDS Extended Support.

RDS Extended Support is only available on certain Aurora versions. For more information, see Amazon Aurora major versions.

Manually controlling if and when your database cluster is upgraded to new versions

Auto minor version upgrades are performed to the default minor version. We typically schedule automatic upgrades twice a year for DB clusters that have the Auto minor version upgrade setting enabled. These upgrades are started during customer-specified maintenance windows. If you want to turn off automatic minor version upgrades, disable Auto minor version upgrade on any DB instance within an Aurora cluster. Aurora performs an automatic minor version upgrade only if all DB instances in your cluster have the setting enabled.

Note

However, for mandatory upgrades such as minor-version end of life, the DB cluster will be upgraded even if the Auto minor version upgrade setting is disabled. You get a reminder but no RDS event notification. Upgrades occur within a maintenance window after the mandatory upgrade deadline has passed.

Because major version upgrades involve some compatibility risk, they don't occur automatically. You must initiate these, except in the case of a major version deprecation, as explained earlier. We always recommend that you thoroughly test your applications with new database versions before performing a major version upgrade.

For more information about upgrading a DB cluster to a new Aurora major version, see Upgrading Amazon Aurora MySQL DB clusters and Upgrading Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL DB clusters.

Required Amazon Aurora upgrades

For certain critical fixes, we might perform a managed upgrade to a newer patch level within the same minor version. These required upgrades happen even if Auto minor version upgrade is turned off. Before doing so, we communicate the detailed upgrade process. Details include the timing of certain milestones, the impact on your DB clusters, and the actions that we recommend that you take. Such managed upgrades are performed automatically. Each such upgrade is started within the cluster maintenance window.

Testing your DB cluster with a new Aurora version before upgrading

You can test the upgrade process and how the new version works with your application and workload. Use one of the following methods:

• Clone your cluster using the Amazon Aurora fast database clone feature. Perform the upgrade and any post-upgrade testing on the new cluster.

• Restore from a cluster snapshot to create a new Aurora cluster. You can create a cluster snapshot yourself from an existing Aurora cluster. Aurora also automatically creates periodic snapshots for you for each of your clusters. You can then initiate a version upgrade for the new cluster. You can experiment on the upgraded copy of your cluster before deciding whether to upgrade your original cluster.

For more information on these ways to create new clusters for testing, see Cloning a volume for an Amazon Aurora DB cluster and Creating a DB cluster snapshot.