How does Amazon RDS automate backups and what is the process for recovering data using point-in-time recovery?
Amazon RDS automates backups through automated snapshots and transaction logs. Snapshots are taken daily during the backup window, while transaction logs record changes continuously. The retention period for these backups ranges from 1 to 35 days.
To recover data using point-in-time recovery (PITR), follow these steps :
1. Identify the target time within the backup retention period.
2. Create a new DB instance by specifying the original instance and desired recovery time.
3. Amazon RDS restores the latest snapshot before the target time and applies transaction logs up to that point.
4. Once the new instance is available, connect applications to it and verify data integrity.
This process minimizes downtime and ensures accurate data restoration without manual intervention.
