Frequently Asked Questions about SkySQL
This page is part of MariaDB's SkySQL Documentation.
Topics on this page:
Overview
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list answers 91 questions in 11 categories. We last updated answers on 2022-08-22.
SkySQL DBaaS
What is SkySQL?
MariaDB SkySQL is a database-as-a-service (DBaaS) developed and managed by MariaDB Corporation. SkySQL is the only DBaaS to deliver MariaDB Enterprise, with MariaDB Enterprise Server, on expert-maintained multi-cloud infrastructure.
How do I sign up for SkySQL?
Log in or register for a MariaDB ID using social login or email.
Once registered, you can get started right away by launching a service, connecting, and loading data.
Why would I choose a DBaaS over an on-premises deployment?
Our platform and experts handle the infrastructure needs, allowing you to focus on your core business.
When you choose MariaDB SkySQL, a full-featured DBaaS, you forego the capital expenditure of buying hardware, the delay of waiting for new systems to ship every time you need to scale-up or scale-out, and the overhead and opportunity-cost of tuning, monitoring, and upgrading your database. SkySQL also handles routine tasks such as nightly backups and infrastructure maintenance.
And if you need ultimate control, and have the necessary skills and resources to hand-pick instances and tune configurations, we offer SkySQL Power Tier to deliver all of the on-premises benefits without the capex (capital expense) and operational overhead.
How long do deployments on SkySQL take?
In Foundation Tier smaller databases launch in 6 minutes or less. Power Tier deployments with dedicated Kubernetes environments can take up to 25 minutes. Consecutive database deployments will use the same Kubernetes environment and take significantly less time.
The real time benefits come every day after, when you're operating at scale. A database node fault could take a short five minutes or less for Kubernetes self-healing, instead of an eight-hour bare metal rebuild as you might see on-premises or on other cloud platforms.
What version of MariaDB does SkySQL support?
SkySQL provides services backed by:
MariaDB Enterprise ColumnStore 6
MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.4
MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.5
MariaDB Enterprise Server 10.6
MariaDB MaxScale
MariaDB Xpand 5
MariaDB Xpand 6
Are other databases supported?
No. SkySQL is the only DBaaS to deliver MariaDB Enterprise, including MariaDB Enterprise Server, on expert-maintained multi-cloud infrastructure. We're glad to help with your move to SkySQL, whether you're migrating from another database platform or looking to lift-and-shift a MariaDB implementation to SkySQL.
What hardware does SkySQL run on?
MariaDB SkySQL is multi-cloud and as a full-featured DBaaS we handle all of the hardware and infrastructure needs.
Services are currently available with a range of instance sizes running on:
Amazon AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Amazon EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
Google GCP (Google Cloud Platform) and Google GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine)
Transactional services (such as our Replicated Transactions topology) operate on:
AWS with EBS Provisioned IOPS SSD (io1 type) with Amazon EBS encryption
GCP with Zonal SSD Persistent Disk with Google's default encryption
Analytical services (such as our Multi-Node Analytics topology) operate on scalable object storage.
What software stack does SkySQL run on?
MariaDB SkySQL runs on Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS), Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and MariaDB Enterprise. MariaDB Enterprise includes MariaDB Enterprise Server, MariaDB MaxScale, MariaDB ColumnStore, and MariaDB Xpand. MariaDB Enterprise Server enables a predictable development and operations experience through optimized builds, predictable release behavior, and vendor support.
How long has SkySQL existed?
MariaDB SkySQL officially launched as a production-ready enterprise-grade DBaaS on 2020-03-31, after extensive pre-release testing.
Is SkySQL ready for production use?
Yes. MariaDB SkySQL delivers enterprise-grade cloud database services for mission-critical applications. MariaDB SkySQL is built on MariaDB Enterprise Server, optimized for security, stability, and reliability in demanding production environments. Multi-node database deployments feature a rigorous SLA, High Availability (HA) features, and operations features. Enterprise and Platinum support options extend support to 24x7, with the additional option of SkyDBA for reactive and proactive assistance from a team of expert DBAs. Security features are designed to meet the GRC and infosec challenges faced by modern applications, and DPA (GDPR) and BAA (HIPAA) are available.
SkySQL Features
What services are available on SkySQL?
Purpose | Topologies |
|---|---|
Transactional (OLTP) | Distributed Transactions, Replicated Transactions, Single Node Transactions |
Cloud Data Warehousing, DSS, OLAP |
Which transactional service should I choose?
Based on scalability:
Scales | Benefit of More Nodes | Node Counts | Topology |
|---|---|---|---|
Reads and Writes | Linear scaling of read/write performance | 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 | |
Reads | Additional data copies for reads | 1 Primary + 1-5 Replicas | |
N/A | N/A | 1 |
Based on high availability and data protection:
High Availability | Data Protection | Consistency | Topology |
|---|---|---|---|
Automated Failover | Slices with self-healing, or full data copies | Synchronous | |
Automated Failover | Full data copies | Async or semi-synchronous | |
N/A | N/A | N/A |
All SkySQL services feature Kubernetes self-healing.
What options are available for scaling and right-sizing SkySQL?
You can choose topologies to match your workload requirements, cloud regions to match your latency and operating requirements, instance sizes, and support plan.
Our platform features:
Services optimized for transactional (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP, DSS, cloud data warehousing)
Availability in a range of database instance sizes and storage sizes
Availability from multiple AWS (Amazon Web Services) and GCP (Google Cloud Platform) regions.
Object storage for storage elasticity in columnar configurations (Analytics)
Load Balancing features included with Replicated Transactions topologies allow for read-scaling through read-write splitting.
Custom instance sizes (for Power Tier customers)
Range of support options
What reliability features are available on SkySQL?
MariaDB SkySQL is operated by a global team of Site Reliability Engineers (SRE), expert DBAs, and MariaDB software engineers. Platform problems are escalated to our team 24x7.
Support from MariaDB Corporation, including Enterprise and Platinum tiers optionally with SkyDBA for reactive and proactive assistance
Service Level Agreement, including an elevated SLA for Power Tier customers
Kubernetes self-healing
Load balancing for multi-node configurations using MariaDB MaxScale
High Availability (HA) for multi-node configurations (Distributed SQL, Replicated Transactions, Analytics)
MaxScale Redundancy option (Distributed SQL, HA)
Inbound and outbound replication
Online schema changes with InnoDB's Instant ALTER
What operations features are available on SkySQL?
Support from MariaDB Corporation, including Enterprise and Platinum tiers optionally with SkyDBA for reactive and proactive assistance
Vendor managed infrastructure and platform
SkySQL Portal and SkySQL DBaaS API for instance management
Compatibility with most programming languages and clients that work with MariaDB or MySQL, for off-the-shelf integration to your stack
Scheduled upgrades to database software
Automated nightly backups
Configuration management
Monitoring
Ability to deploy additional services to support application migrations and testing on the same configuration used in production
On-demand tear-down of unneeded services
What governance, risk, compliance, and information security features are available on SkySQL?
Firewall protection, including dedicated IP allowlists to access databases and to access monitoring features
Data-at-rest encryption
Data-in-transit encryption by default
VPC peering and AWS PrivateLink options
Standard or enterprise authentication for management portal
Standard, LDAP, or 2FA database authentication
Business Associate Addendum (BAA) for HIPAA
Data Processing Addendum (DPA) for GDPR
Pricing
What does SkySQL cost? How is SkySQL priced?
Estimated SkySQL pricing is available from the SkySQL portal. Account registration is required.
SkySQL pricing varies based on the selections made when you launch a service. Examples of selections include provider, topology, instance and storage size, and region.
The pricing shown is not a quote and does not guarantee the cost for your actual use of SkySQL services, as is shown on monthly invoices. The cost estimate can vary from your actual costs for several reasons.
Do I need to purchase a MariaDB Server license or subscription to use SkySQL?
No. Purchase of SkySQL service includes support and access to MariaDB Enterprise products on SkySQL.
Does SkySQL have a free tier or free trial?
Yes. We provide an introductory $500 free credit to get started with no payment information required. The credit can be used for one service at a time.
Depending on instance size, this can translate to as much as 2,500 hours of database development before payment is required.
Warnings are provided to trial subscribers before their credit is exhausted.
To keep their service running, a trial subscriber can enter payment information at any time before their credit is exhausted. If no payment information is added, the database service will be deleted when credit is exhausted.
Please contact us for assistance if you need to execute a larger proof-of-concept (POC).
I have an existing contract with Google. Can I leverage this for SkySQL?
Yes. SkySQL is listed in the Google Cloud Marketplace. Customers have the ability to retire their GCP commitment with a SkySQL subscription via the Marketplace.
Contact us if you have further questions.
I have an existing contract with AWS. Can I leverage this for SkySQL?
Yes. SkySQL is an AWS partner network. Customers can retire their AWS commitment with a SkySQL subscription via the AWS Marketplace.
See the AWS Marketplace listing
Contact us if you have further questions.
Do you have a pricing calculator?
Estimated SkySQL pricing information is shown when you create a service based on the selections you make at launch time, such as topology, region, and instance size. Please contact us for assistance in cost estimation, including support and Power Tier.
What is included in SkySQL pricing?
SkySQL pricing includes instances for a specific service topology, and monitoring, and also includes management features, e.g., backups, upgrades, patch installs, etc. Some factors, such as object storage and network egress which are variable and usage-dependent, are not included in estimated pricing.
What is optional in SkySQL pricing?
Add-ons are available to optimize your SkySQL experience:
SkySQL Power Tier is a premium service offering for MariaDB SkySQL customers who have the most critical requirements for uptime, availability, performance, and support.
While all Foundation Tier services include Standard Support, Power Tier customers select from Enterprise and Platinum support plans.
An option available to customers with Enterprise or Platinum support plans, SkyDBA further extends the premium support experience and the capabilities of your in-house DBAs with the backing from a global team of expert MariaDB DBAs, available 24/7 for the most severe (P1) issues. MariaDB's SkyDBAs manage your MariaDB SkySQL databases both proactively and reactively so you can focus on your core business.
Is discounted pricing available for a longer-term commitment?
Yes. Discounts are typically offered for one-year and three-year commitments. Please contact us for more information.
Payment
What forms of payment does SkySQL accept?
SkySQL accepts payment by major credit card and through remittance accounts.
Which credit cards does SkySQL accept?
SkySQL accepts all major credit cards. Specifically, we accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Diners Club payments from customers worldwide.
How do I set up my account to pay by wire transfer/ACH?
Contact us to have your account set up for payment by wire transfer or ACH.
Can I pre-fund my account?
SkySQL contract customers can pre-fund their account. Contact us for more information.
How do I pay my bill?
SkySQL charges are paid using the credit card on file, or via wire transfer/ACH upon invoice in the case of remittance accounts.
How do I edit my customer account?
You can edit your customer information on the Account Information page.
Accounts which are part of a Team should contact their Team Owner if billing changes are needed.
Can I buy SkySQL in the AWS Marketplace?
Yes. We offer direct purchase through the AWS Marketplace or we can craft a "private offer" to customize a subscription.
See the AWS Marketplace listing
Contact us if you have further questions.
I have an existing contract with AWS. Can I leverage this for SkySQL?
Yes. SkySQL is an AWS partner network. Customers can retire their AWS commitment with a SkySQL subscription via the AWS Marketplace.
See the AWS Marketplace listing
Contact us if you have further questions.
Can I buy SkySQL in the Google Marketplace?
Yes. We offer direct purchase through the Google Marketplace or we can craft a "private offer" to customize a subscription.
Contact us if you have further questions.
I have an existing contract with Google. Can I leverage this for SkySQL?
Yes. SkySQL is listed in the Google Cloud Marketplace. Customers have the ability to retire their GCP commitment with a SkySQL subscription via the Marketplace.
Contact us if you have further questions.
Billing and Invoices
Am I charged for deleted or stopped databases? What database states are billable?
Charges accrue for SkySQL services until they are deleted.
If you stop a SkySQL service, you will continue to be charged for storage, since your data is not deleted. Instance and egress charges will stop until the instance is started again.
How can I see my current charges?
Current month's estimated charges can be viewed on the Account Information page which is updated six times per day. Variable charges such as object storage and network egress are updated the day prior to the last day of the month. Taxes are not included in estimated charges.
How can I see detailed billing reports?
SkySQL invoices are sent monthly and include a detailed breakdown of usage, pricing, and taxes. For Team accounts, only the Team owner has access to Account Information.
Additionally, current month's estimated charges can be viewed on the Account Information page and are updated six times per day. Variable charges such as object storage and network egress are updated the day prior to the last day of the month. Taxes are not included in estimated charges.
When will I be billed?
Invoices for MariaDB SkySQL are sent by email on subscription renewal. Subscription renewal occurs on the last day of the month. Accounts using a credit card are charged at this time.
Will I be charged VAT or taxes?
MariaDB will bill for VAT and/or taxes in applicable jurisdictions. Customers are responsible for paying all applicable taxes and fees. See the SkySQL Terms of Use for additional information.
How can I see discounts and service credits?
Current month's estimated charges, including coupons and service credits, can be viewed on the Account Information page and are updated six times per day.
In the event of service credits issued based on SLA, service credits will be included in coupons and service credits on the Account Information page.
Can I stop or pause my instance to save money?
Instances can be stopped to save money. While stopped, additional instance and egress charges will not accrue, but you will continue to be charged for storage.
Who do I contact with billing questions?
Contact billing@mariadb.com with billing questions.
Backup and Restore
How do I backup my data on SkySQL?
SkySQL runs full backups automatically each night.
Can I set the frequency or schedule of automated backups?
No. Backup frequency and schedule are not customer configurable. SkySQL Power Tier customers should contact us if alternate backup frequency or schedule is required.
Are automated backups sent offsite? Will my data be sent to another country?
No. Data is not sent to another country.
Does SkySQL guarantee an RTO and RPO?
No.
Are backups performed using disk snapshots?
No.
Distributed Transactions uses MariaDB Xpand's Fast Backup and Restore
Multi-Node Analytics uses a file copy procedure
Replicated Transactions uses MariaDB Enterprise Backup
Single Node Analytics uses a file copy procedure
Single Node Transactions uses MariaDB Enterprise Backup
Do backup operations impact application performance?
No.
MariaDB Enterprise Backup (mariabackup) is used for Replicated Transactions and Single Node Transactions service backups. MariaDB Enterprise Backup breaks up backups into non-blocking stages so writes and schema changes can occur during backups.
Are incremental backups available?
No. At this time only full backups are performed.
How long are backups retained?
Backups for running and stopped services are retained for 30 days. If a service is deleted, no further backups for that service are produced and backups on hand are purged after 7 days.
Can I set the retention window for automated backups?
No. Backup retention is not customer configurable. SkySQL Power Tier customers should contact us if an alternate retention schedule is required.
How do I restore my data from a SkySQL backup?
Request data restore by creating a support case in the Customer Support Portal. Please state what you need restored, and the desired restore point.
Can I request a partial restore of data from backup?
Yes, by support case.
Does SkySQL support Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR)?
By default, full and complete backup restoration is available. To enable point-in-time recovery, services must be configured in advance for additional binary log retention. Point-in-time recovery (PITR) configuration is available to Power Tier customers.
Can I request restore of my data to a different region?
Yes, by support case.
Can I request restore of my data to a different topology?
Yes, by support case.
Can I retrieve my database backup from SkySQL? Is there vendor lock?
Yes, you can retrieve your database. No, there is no vendor lock. Your data is your data. Create a support case for access to a backup.
Encryption
Does SkySQL support data-at-rest encryption (on-disk encryption)?
Yes. All SkySQL data is encrypted on disk.
SkySQL on Amazon AWS benefits from Amazon EBS encryption.
SkySQL on Google GCP benefits from encryption by default.
Does SkySQL support data-in-transit encryption (over the network encryption)?
By default, MariaDB SkySQL services feature data-in-transit encryption for client connections.
By default, server-to-server communications between the nodes of a SkySQL service are protected with data-in-transit encryption.
For additional information, see "Data-in-Transit Encryption".
Does SkySQL support encrypted client connections?
Yes. By default, SkySQL requires client connections via TLS (TLS 1.2, TLS 1.3).
Does SkySQL support unencrypted client connections?
By default, no. MariaDB SkySQL supports disabling SSL/TLS as an option.
What encryption algorithms are used for on-disk encryption?
SkySQL on Amazon AWS benefits from Amazon EBS encryption, which is AES256.
SkySQL on Google GCP leverages Google's default encryption, which is AES256 or AES128.
What versions of SSL or TLS are supported?
TLS 1.2, and TLS 1.3 are supported.
When do TLS certificates expire?
TLS certificates expire every two years.
How are TLS certificates and encryption keys managed?
MariaDB Corporation leverages HashiCorp Vault for certificate and key management. Certificates and keys are not customer-configurable.
Are client certificates supported?
No. SkySQL supports server-side certificates. Database users are authenticated by standard password authentication, LDAP, and/or Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
Is ed25519 authentication supported?
No. While MariaDB Enterprise Server includes ed25519 support, SkySQL leverages a version of MariaDB MaxScale which is not ed25519-compatible.
Why do I need to download a certificate authority chain?
A certificate authority chain is provided to allow your client to establish a secure and encrypted connection to a SkySQL database service, confirming the authenticity of the server certificate.
How frequently are cryptography libraries (like OpenSSL) updated?
Cryptography libraries are included in our standard release process, and vulnerability scanning is conducted for each release.
Data Deletion
Can I delete my running or stopped SkySQL service?
Yes. The decision to delete your running service rests with you and your business. Please consider production impacts before deleting a service. SkySQL permits the on-demand deletion of running and stopped services.
Can I delete my pending SkySQL service?
No. The launch process must complete before deletion is permitted.
How long do you keep my data when I delete a service?
All data residing on a service's storage is deleted at time of service deletion. Backups for deleted services are purged after 7 days.
Can I get my data back if I delete a service by accident?
Maybe. If you contact us before the system completes data deletion, yes, we can recover. Backups for deleted services are purged after 7 days.
Is it possible for SkySQL to retain my data when I delete a service?
No. You should download your data so you have a local copy before you delete the service.
Will my data be retained if a hard drive gets swapped-out?
No. SkySQL is hosted on public cloud provider systems.
SkySQL on Amazon AWS benefits from Amazon EBS encryption and Amazon's data destruction controls.
SkySQL on Google Cloud benefits from encryption by default and Google's data destruction controls.
Can data be purged from backups?
Yes. If you would like backups purged, please create a support case.
Monitoring
How do I access monitoring?
You can SkySQL Monitoring after launching a service, then clicking the "Monitoring" link in the SkySQL main menu (left navigation).
What is monitored?
SkySQL Monitoring covers status and metrics specific to a service and its servers. A complete list of charts is provided. Based on service type, monitoring charts can include status and metrics from server-focused, service-focused, MaxScale-focused, and Xpand-specific checks.
Who is alerted if a service goes down?
MariaDB Corporation's Support and SRE teams are alerted if a SkySQL service becomes unavailable. Data from many systems is integrated for observability and alerting, converged to the ServiceNow platform to enable IT Service Management (ITSM).
Additionally, SkySQL Monitoring incorporates customer alerting features, currently in Technical Preview.
How do I configure monitoring?
SkySQL Monitoring observes a standardized set of details and is not customer configurable. SkySQL Monitoring dashboards are configurable within the interface.
SkySQL Monitoring includes alerting features (currently in Technical Preview), which allow configurable alerting rules, notification channels, and notification criteria. These settings are managed from the SkySQL Monitoring interface. You can SkySQL Monitoring after launching a service by clicking the "Monitoring" link in the SkySQL main menu (left navigation).
Can SkySQL Monitoring also monitor my application?
No.
Support
How do I contact support?
SkySQL customers can contact us via the Customer Support Portal.
If you are not yet a SkySQL customer, please contact us with questions.
What support options are available for SkySQL?
Included with Foundation Tier services:
Standard Support, 24x5
Choices available to Power Tier customers:
Enterprise Support, 24x7
Platinum Support, 24x7 with P1 callbacks and a customer success manager
See full details of our support options.
Is 24x7x365 support available for mission-critical applications?
Yes. Enterprise and Platinum support levels are available for customers requiring 24x7x365 support (24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 (or 366) days per year).
Is SkySQL fully managed?
Yes. SkySQL infrastructure is fully managed, including many typical operations features such as automated nightly backups and monitoring.
Standard support is included with Foundation Tier services. Activities like performance tuning and assistance with schema change is not included in standard support. Power Tier customers choose between Enterprise and Platinum support options, which include consultative support.
Our optional SkyDBA service is available for Enterprise and Platinum support customers, and SkyDBA customers receive both reactive (break/fix) and proactive (analyze/enhance) assistance.
What professional services are available for SkySQL?
MariaDB offers a full range of professional services, including:
SkyDBA for proactive and reactive support
Migration assistance
Assistance with your SkySQL proof-of-concept (contact us for more information)
Inquiries
Who do I contact if I have questions about SkySQL?
Contact MariaDB Corporation at https://mariadb.com/contact/
How can I keep up-to-date on changes to SkySQL?
Release notes are provided to show changes to SkySQL services, features, interfaces, and documentation.
How do I contact sales to buy services on SkySQL?
MariaDB SkySQL is available for immediate use. Sign up today and get started. If you would like assistance from sales, contact us.
Who do I contact with billing questions?
Billing questions can be directed to accounts receivable at billing@mariadb.com
How do I provide feedback about SkySQL Documentation?
To aid our continuous improvement efforts, we encourage you to provide feedback on our documentation and your experiences using it via the following:
Email docfeedback@mariadb.com
Use the "Send Feedback" link under the "Reader Tools" heading that is found in the right navigation (when the window is wide enough) and in the Settings menu. This link allows you to access BugHerd, our feedback tool, without leaving the documentation. Users of ad blocker software may need to permit BugHerd to load.
Who do I contact to report a security concern?
Contact us via https://mariadb.com/contact/
I am a SkySQL customer. How do I get support?
SkySQL customers can contact us via the Customer Support Portal.
This answer was last updated 2020-07-08.