Amazon RDS: Restore snapshot to existing instance

Rename original instance and name new instance with original name

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/endpoint-renaming-for-amazon-rds/


No you can't restore back your existing DB instance to any of the either manual backup or point-in-time snapshot.

The only way you can make use of the manual backup or automated snapshot is to create a new RDS DB instance using that. Once the new DB instance is created, you can change the endpoint of DB in your app / code and delete the old DB instance.

Bottomline : You have to change the config settings in your app. No other option.


If anyone came here (just like me) to just restore data without altering your configuration.

Here are the steps :

  • Create a new instance(temp) from your automatic snapshots or manually created ones.
  • Connect to this instance from either Sequel pro or Mysql workbench.
  • Take SQL dump of whatever data you needed from this temp instance.
  • Connect your production instance and restore it.
  • Now delete the temp instance you created.

I had the same issue today. I think you have two options without changing the application's configuration setting.

  1. delete the old instance as Mike suggested, then restore it.

  2. rename the old instance first ( need to check "Apply immediately" option when rename it).