Long-Retained RDS Manual Snapshot

Service Category

Cloud Provider

AWS

Service Name

AWS RDS

Inefficiency Type

Unused Resource

Explanation

Manual snapshots are often created for operational tasks like upgrades, migrations, or point-in-time backups. Unlike automated backups, which are automatically deleted after a set retention period, manual snapshots remain in place until explicitly deleted. Over time, this can lead to an accumulation of snapshots that are no longer needed but still incur monthly storage charges. This is particularly common in environments where snapshots are taken frequently but not consistently reviewed. If left unmanaged, manual snapshots can become a source of ongoing cost, especially for large databases or when snapshots are copied across regions.

Relevant Billing Model

Amazon RDS snapshot storage is billed based on the total volume of data retained across all snapshots, measured in GB per month. AWS uses incremental storage under the hood, meaning only the changes between snapshots are stored. However, you're charged for the full set of unique data blocks needed to restore each snapshot, and these charges persist until the snapshot is deleted. There are two types of snapshots:

Automated backups are managed by AWS and retained for a limited time (up to 35 days). A portion of automated backup storage is included at no additional charge, up to the size of your provisioned database storage.
Manual snapshots are created by the user and retained indefinitely unless explicitly deleted. They are not covered by the free backup quota and are billed fully for the storage they consume. If multiple manual snapshots exist, the total storage billed includes all unique data needed across them.

Detection

List all manual RDS snapshots across regions and accounts
Identify snapshots that exceed a predefined age threshold (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days)
Check whether snapshots are tied to deleted or decommissioned database instances
Evaluate whether any snapshots are shared or copied across regions, increasing costs
Coordinate with database owners or teams to confirm which snapshots are still needed for recovery, audit, or compliance purposes

Remediation

Delete manual snapshots that are no longer required. Before removal, confirm that the data is not needed for restore workflows or long-term retention. Establish internal policies or automation to routinely review and clean up aged snapshots. If long-term storage is necessary, evaluate exporting data to object storage formats that may offer lower-cost archival options.

Relevant Documentation

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