Switching from a db.t2.micro to a db.t3.micro instance type in Amazon RDS generally implies an upgrade to a newer generation of burstable performance instances, which should provide a better performance-to-cost ratio compared to the previous generation.
Here are some potential impacts:
- Performance: T3 instances are built on the AWS Nitro System, a combination of dedicated hardware and lightweight hypervisor, which delivers practically all of the compute and memory resources of the host hardware to your instances. Hence, you might observe a performance improvement.
- Cost: Although T3 instances are more cost-effective in terms of performance, the actual price might differ from T2 instances. Therefore, you should review the pricing details for T3 instances in your specific region to understand the financial implications.
- Compatibility: Usually, AWS maintains backward compatibility for newer instance types, so your applications should work as before. However, there could be edge cases, so it is advisable to test your applications thoroughly after the instance type change.
- Downtime: Changing the instance type requires a reboot, which will result in a short period of downtime. You should schedule this change during a maintenance window or during a period of low traffic to minimize the impact.
Remember to create a snapshot or backup of your RDS instance before making changes to prevent any data loss.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that to fully utilize the benefits of the T3 instances, you must enable the “Unlimited” mode, which allows the instance to burst beyond its baseline performance as long as it has enough CPU credits. If the “Unlimited” mode is not enabled, the T3 instance could be throttled if it exhausts its CPU credit balance.