Managing database infrastructure is complex and costly. Rackspace Spot offers a low-cost managed database service using PostgreSQL, with MySQL support planned. This Database as a Service (DBaaS) is an alternative to Amazon RDS, Google Cloud SQL, and Azure SQL DB. Here’s why and how it works for cloud-native deployments.
Challenges of Managing Databases
Running a database in-house requires hardware, software installation, and continuous maintenance. You need to handle storage, networking, and database internals. Misconfigurations can cause performance issues or data loss or corruption. Setting up disaster recovery mechanisms, monitoring metrics, and patching vulnerabilities add to the workload. A DBaaS removes these tasks, letting you focus on applications.Rackspace Spot’s low-cost managed database service uses Kubernetes for automated management, high availability, and security. It supports developers and businesses needing efficient database solutions.
Why Rackspace Spot Built a DBaaS
An unreliable database provider affected our user experience at Rackspace Spot. Public cloud options like Amazon RDS, Google Cloud SQL, and Azure SQL DB are reliable but expensive, especially as data grows. Scaling down is difficult, increasing infrastructure costs. Using in-house hardware and expertise, we built a managed database service for internal use. After migrating all production workloads successfully, we made it available to Rackspace Spot users at spot.rackspace.com to provide a cost-effective, reliable DBaaS.
Features of Rackspace Spot’s Low-Cost Managed Database ServiceThe service offers:
- Automatic Provisioning: Deploy a PostgreSQL database in 15–30 seconds.
- High Availability: Runs on Rackspace Flex instances with one read replica included, supporting additional replicas for disaster recovery.
- Point-in-Time Backups: Automated backups for data recovery.
- Cloud-Native Architecture: Uses Kubernetes and Cloud Native PostgreSQL (CNPG) for management.
- Scalable Resources: Disk sizes from 2GB to 64GB, with configurations like 2 vCPUs and 8GB RAM.
- Security: Includes vulnerability patching, with security groups support planned.
The service currently supports PostgreSQL, with MySQL beta support upcoming. Databases deploy in a cloud space, a managed Kubernetes cluster on spot instances.
How to Deploy with Rackspace Spot’s DBaaS
To deploy a database:
- Access Cloud Space: Log into spot.rackspace.com, go to the databases section. A cloud space is a managed Kubernetes cluster on spot instances.
- Create Database: Select PostgreSQL, choose a configuration (e.g., 2 vCPUs, 8GB RAM, 4GB disk), name the cluster, and click “Create.”
- Connect: Use the connection string with tools like PSQL, PGCLI, or applications to create tables and manage data.
For example, we deployed a PostgreSQL database named “Earth” in the US Central DFW2 region, created a “users” table, and inserted data in minutes.
Benefits of Rackspace Spot’s DBaaS
The service runs on Kubernetes with CNPG, simplifying management while maintaining performance. Rackspace Flex instances support high availability, and spot instances reduce infrastructure costs. After six months of internal use, the service is now available to all Rackspace Spot users at spot.rackspace.com.
Roadmap for Rackspace Spot’s Managed Database Service
Planned updates include:
- July 2025: Availability in the London region.
- August 2025: Expansion to US East and US Central regions, MySQL beta support.
- September 2025: Availability in Hong Kong and Sydney, Australia, with security groups and MySQL general availability.
- Ongoing: Contributions to the CNPG community for cloud-native PostgreSQL.
Start Using Rackspace Spot’s Low-Cost Managed Database Service
The low-cost managed database service is available in US Central DFW1 and DFW2 regions. With a cloud space, you can deploy a PostgreSQL database with automatic provisioning, high availability, and security. Visit https://spot.rackspace.com/ to begin. MySQL support and additional availability regions (London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Australia) are coming soon.
