# Outdated RDS versions triggering extended support charges Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-rds-versions-triggering-extended-support-charges Many organizations continue to run outdated database engines, such as MySQL 5.7 or PostgreSQL 11, beyond their support windows. By: Dhara Kansagara Updated: 2026-09-28 [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) # Outdated RDS Versions Triggering Extended Support Charges The short version Many organizations continue to run outdated database engines, such as MySQL 5.7 or PostgreSQL 11, beyond their support windows. [Dhara Kansagara](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kansagaradhara/) Cloud FinOps Lead Associate @ BetaNXT AWS service [AWS RDS](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/aws-rds) Category [Databases](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/databases) Reference CER-0206 Type Outdated Version ## Explanation Why the waste happens and who it affects. Beginning in 2024, AWS automatically enrolls these into Extended Support to maintain security updates, adding incremental charges that scale with vCPU count. These costs often appear suddenly, impacting both production and non-production environments. For development and test databases in particular, the charges may outweigh their value, leading to hidden inefficiencies if not addressed promptly. ## Billing model The pricing dimensions that drive this cost. RDS Extended Support incurs a per-vCPU, per-hour surcharge on top of standard RDS instance charges once a major engine version passes its RDS end of standard support date, which is set by AWS and is not the same as the community end-of-life date. Fees apply continuously, even if the instance is idle. ## How to detect 4 checks to find it in your estate. - Inventory all RDS instances and record engine type and major version - Compare deployed versions against AWS published support timelines to determine Extended Support status - Check billing data for "RDS Extended Support" line items and correlate to specific RDS instances - Identify non-production or idle databases that are accruing Extended Support charges without business justification ## How to fix 4 ways to remove the waste. - Upgrade RDS instances to currently supported major versions to avoid Extended Support fees - Plan upgrades in non-production first to validate compatibility before applying in production - Decommission unused or development databases that no longer provide value - Embed version monitoring in database governance processes to anticipate and prepare for end-of-life events ## Documentation Vendor references for pricing and configuration. - [Amazon RDS Extended Support with Amazon RDS - Amazon Relational Database Service docs.aws.amazon.com](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/extended-support.html) - [Amazon RDS Extended Support charges - Amazon Relational Database Service docs.aws.amazon.com](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/extended-support-charges.html) - [Managed Relational Database - Amazon RDS Pricing - Amazon Web Services aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/pricing/) ## Related inefficiencies [Browse the library](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) - AWS RDS CER-0323 ### [RDS SQL Server Running Bundled Licensing on Older Instance Families](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/rds-sql-server-running-bundled-licensing-on-older-instance-families) Amazon RDS for SQL Server has traditionally used a License Included model where the SQL Server license cost is bundled into a single hourly instance price alongside Windows OS licensing, compute resources, and RDS management capabilities.... Databases - AWS RDS CER-0322 ### [Non-Production RDS SQL Server Using Standard or Enterprise Edition Instead of Developer Edition](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/non-production-rds-sql-server-using-standard-or-enterprise-edition-instead-of-developer-edition) Amazon RDS for SQL Server uses a License Included pricing model where the hourly instance rate bundles Microsoft SQL Server licensing fees on a per-vCPU basis. When non-production workloads - such as development, testing, staging, QA, or... Databases - AWS RDS CER-0320 ### [Excess vCPU Licensing Costs on RDS for SQL Server Instances](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/excess-vcpu-licensing-costs-on-rds-for-sql-server-instances) Amazon RDS for SQL Server uses a License Included pricing model where SQL Server and Windows OS licensing costs are bundled into the per-instance-hour rate - and those licensing costs scale directly with the number of vCPUs on the... Databases --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.