Many organizations continue running legacy versions of MySQL on Amazon RDS because of application dependencies, older software frameworks, or limited internal resources to upgrade. However, businesses using MySQL 5.7 or earlier are now facing a major change from AWS: Extended Support for legacy MySQL comes with extremely high pricing and noticeable service limitations.
When AWS ended standard support for MySQL 5.7, they began charging a separate Extended Support fee. In some environments, that fee can range from several thousand dollars to over $15,000 per month — just to keep the same database running without new features or improvements. This unexpected financial pressure has left many companies struggling to budget or plan effectively.
Unfortunately, navigating the support process hasn’t been smooth. Once Extended Support kicks in, organizations report slower responses, fewer helpful resources, and limited technical communication from AWS — especially after the pricing changes take effect. When a service becomes significantly more expensive, the expectation is that support quality would match the investment. Instead, many businesses are discovering the opposite.
The consequences are serious:
What organizations are experiencing is a forced move: pay a high premium for a product approaching end of life, or rush through a major upgrade that could break applications. Companies that didn’t receive clear, early warnings now find themselves under pressure with tight timelines.
To protect your business, take proactive steps:
You should never be surprised by infrastructure changes in the cloud — especially when they directly affect your ability to operate. Awareness and planning can prevent costly downtime and unnecessary support expenses.
If your organization is unsure where it stands with MySQL support on AWS, now is the time to check. Evaluating your environment today could save tens of thousands of dollars in the months ahead — and ensure you maintain control over your data and your future.