Command
aws rds stop-db-instance --db-instance-identifier mydbExplanation
Stops a running RDS database instance to reduce costs. The instance can be restarted later.
Common Use Cases
- •Pausing development or test environments
- •Saving costs during non-business hours
Best Practices
- ✓Stop instances during off-hours using automated scripts
- ✓Use CloudWatch alarms to detect and restart if needed
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ⚠Trying to stop multi-AZ or Aurora instances (not supported)
- ⚠Not verifying that connections are closed before stopping
Troubleshooting
Problem: Cannot stop instance
Solution: Ensure instance type and configuration support stopping.
Problem: Instance stops but incurs costs
Solution: Storage costs still apply for stopped instances.
Examples
Stop the RDS instance named mydb
aws rds stop-db-instance --db-instance-identifier mydb