RDS — Relational Database Service
Definition: Amazon's managed relational database offering (Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, etc). RDS handles patching, backups, and failover so teams stop running databases on glued-together EC2 boxes.
Example
In engineering planning, you'll often hear something like: "Let's pull the latest RDS numbers before we make a call" — shorthand for relational database service.
When you'll hear it
RDS shows up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to relational database service — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does RDS stand for?
RDS stands for Relational Database Service.
What does RDS mean in technology and engineering?
Amazon's managed relational database offering (Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, etc). RDS handles patching, backups, and failover so teams stop running databases on glued-together EC2 boxes.
Where will I hear RDS used at work?
RDS comes up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. It's used as shorthand for relational database service, so people assume you already know the term.