AWS re:Invent 2025 - [NEW LAUNCH] Deep dive into AWS Database Savings Plans (DAT326)
Source: Dev.to
Overview
AWS re:Invent 2025 – Deep dive into AWS Database Savings Plans (DAT326)
In this session, Adam Driver and Rick Ochs introduce AWS Database Savings Plans, announced at re:Invent. The new offering provides up to 35 % discount on Aurora Serverless with a one‑year commitment and no upfront payment. It covers nine database services—including Amazon RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, and ElastiCache—across both Intel and Graviton instances.
Key differences from Reserved Instances (RIs):
- RIs require a three‑year commitment for a specific instance type.
- Database Savings Plans (DSPs) allow you to switch between database engines, instance types, regions, and deployment models (serverless vs. provisioned) while retaining the discount.
The session demonstrates:
- The recommendation algorithm (golden‑section search) that maximizes savings.
- Live demos of the Billing and Cost Management console, including the new Purchase Analyzer tool.
- Migration strategies from Reserved Instances to DSPs.
Additional features:
- Automatic application of discounts to the highest‑discount resources first.
- 7‑day return policy.
- Incremental purchasing options for staggered coverage.
This article is auto‑generated from the original presentation content; minor typos or inaccuracies may be present.
Introduction to Database Savings Plans
- Adam Driver – Solution Architecture lead for databases (AWS).
- Rick Ochs – Lead of the Optimization Products team (Compute Optimizer, Savings Plans recommendations, Cost Optimization Hub, etc.) and member of the FinOps Foundation Technical Advisory Council.
The presenters engaged the audience with quick polls about FinOps involvement, DBA experience, and re:Invent attendance to gauge familiarity and tailor the discussion.
Session Agenda: Coverage, Flexibility, and Best Practices
Topics Covered
- What Database Savings Plans cover – engines, instance types, and both provisioned and serverless deployment models.
- Portability and flexibility – ability to shift usage across regions, instance families, and deployment models while retaining discounts.
- Comparison with Reserved Instances – three‑year commitment vs. one‑year commitment, and how to transition from heavy RI usage to DSPs.
- Live demos – recommendation engine walkthrough, underlying mathematics, and scenario‑based utilization and coverage optimization.
- Best practices – strategies to maximize savings and avoid waste.
Why Database Savings Plans Were Created and What They Cover
- Customer demand for portability and flexibility – a pricing model that automatically drives savings without manual recalculations.
- One‑year commitment, no upfront payment – unlike three‑year RIs, DSPs provide a shorter commitment period.
- Automatic discount application – the plan automatically applies to the highest‑discount resources first.
- Zero waste – any usage not covered by the plan is billed at on‑demand rates, eliminating over‑provisioning.
These principles aim to deliver a flexible, automatic, and consistent cost‑optimization experience for database workloads on AWS.