# Ensure to Choose the Appropriate Database Engine

- Source: https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/articles/62000234451-ensure-to-choose-the-appropriate-database-engine
- Section: [Solutions](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions) › [CIS AWS Database Services Benchmark v1.0.0](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/62000112688) › [CIS AWS Database Services Benchmark v1.0.0](https://support.icompaas.com/support/solutions/folders/62000169253)
- Last updated: 2026-05-29
- Publisher: iCompaas, Inc. (https://www.icompaas.com)

**Profile Applicability:**

-   **Level 1**

**Description:**  
Selecting the appropriate database engine (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Aurora, Oracle) ensures compatibility with your application’s requirements, and can significantly affect performance, availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency.

**Rationale:** AWS offers several database engine options. Choosing the wrong engine can lead to inefficiencies, high costs, or even security and compliance gaps. Aligning the engine choice with the application’s needs ensures optimal deployment.

**Impact:  
 Pros:**

-   Aligns database performance with workload characteristics  
    
-   Reduces long-term maintenance and cost  
    
-   Enhances supportability and feature compatibility  
    

**Cons:**

-   Choosing an engine without understanding workload needs may result in migration delays or rework  
    
-   Vendor lock-in risks if a proprietary engine is selected  
    

**Default Value:** There is no default database engine; selection is user-defined during provisioning.

**Pre-requisites:**

-   Application requirements analysis  
    
-   Understanding of workload type (OLTP/OLAP, transactions, analytics, etc.)  
    
-   Familiarity with AWS database engine features and limitations  
    

**Remediation:**

### **Test Plan**

**Using AWS Console:**

1.  Sign in to the AWS Management Console.  
    
2.  Navigate to Amazon RDS > Databases.  
    
3.  Select the target DB instance.  
    
4.  In the Configuration tab, verify the value under Engine.  
    
5.  Compare this engine with documented application requirements.  
    

**Using AWS CLI:**

1.  Describe the DB instance and get its engine type:  
    
    aws rds describe-db-instances --db-instance-identifier <your-db-instance-identifier> --query "DBInstances\[\*\].Engine"
    

### **Implementation Plan**

**Using AWS Console:**

1.  Sign in to the AWS Management Console.  
    
2.  Navigate to Amazon RDS > Databases.  
    
3.  Click Create Database.  
    
4.  Under Engine options, select the engine (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Aurora) that aligns with your workload.  
    
5.  Configure additional settings and launch the instance.  
    

**Using AWS CLI:**

1.  Review available engine versions:  
    
    aws rds describe-db-engine-versions
    
2.  Create a new DB instance with the appropriate engine:  
    
     aws rds create-db-instance --db-instance-identifier <your-db-instance-identifier> --db-instance-class db.t3.medium --engine <engine-name> --master-username <username> --master-user-password <password> --allocated-storage 20
    

### **Backout Plan**

**Using AWS Console:**

1.  Navigate to Amazon RDS > Databases.  
    
2.  Select the DB instance that was created with the wrong engine.  
    
3.  Choose Actions > Delete.  
    
4.  Recreate the database with the correct engine.  
    

**Using AWS CLI:**

1.  Delete the incorrectly configured DB instance:  
    
     aws rds delete-db-instance --db-instance-identifier <your-db-instance-identifier> --skip-final-snapshot
    
2.  Recreate the DB instance with the appropriate engine:  
    
     aws rds create-db-instance --db-instance-identifier <your-db-instance-identifier> --db-instance-class db.t3.medium --engine <correct-engine> --master-username <username> --master-user-password <password> --allocated-storage 20
    

**References:**

-   [](https://aws.amazon.com/products/databases/)[AWS Cloud Databases](https://aws.amazon.com/products/databases/)
    
-   [](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_Introduction.html)[AmazonRDS](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_Introduction.html)

## Related compliance guidance

- [SOC 2 compliance: a practical implementation guide for cloud-native SaaS teams](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/soc-2-trust-services-criteria): Configuration checks like this one are the technical half of a SOC 2 / ISO 27001 programme — the guide shows where they fit, what else an auditor expects, and how to evidence them.
- [ISO/IEC 27001:2022 compliance: a practical implementation guide](https://support.icompaas.com/compliance/iso-27001-2022): ISO 27001 Annex A.8 (technological controls) is where cloud hardening evidence lands; the guide shows how to run the ISMS around it.