Enable cross region backups for Amazon RedShift

This is a detailed guide on how to back up an AWS Redshift cluster and restore it to a different AWS account in a different region using the AWS Management Console, along with the associated cost considerations.

The process involves creating a manual snapshot in the source account, sharing it with the destination account, copying that snapshot to the new region within the destination account, and finally restoring a new cluster from it.

Part 1: In the Source AWS Account

In this part, you'll create a snapshot of your existing Redshift cluster and authorize the destination account to access it.

Step 1: Create a Manual Snapshot

1. Log in to your Source AWS Account.
2. Navigate to the Amazon Redshift service.
3. From the left-hand menu, select Clusters and click on your source cluster's name.
4. Go to the Actions dropdown menu and select Create snapshot.
5. In the configuration pane:
   • Snapshot identifier: Give your snapshot a memorable name (e.g., my-cluster-backup-for-sharing-2025-09-04).
   • Snapshot retention period: For a one-time migration, you can set this to a short period or leave the default.
6. Click Create snapshot. You can monitor its creation progress under the Snapshots section. Wait until the Status is Available.

Step 2: Share the Snapshot with the Destination Account

1. Once the snapshot is Available, select it from the snapshots list.
2. Click the Actions dropdown and select Manage access.
3. Under the Share with other AWS accounts section, select Add account.
4. Enter the 12-digit AWS Account ID of your Destination Account.
5. Click Save changes.

The snapshot is now shared and visible to the destination account.

Part 2: In the Destination AWS Account (Handling the Share)

Now, you'll log in to the destination account to accept the share and copy the snapshot to your target region.

Step 3: Accept and Copy the Shared Snapshot

1. Log in to your Destination AWS Account.
2. Crucially, ensure you are in the same region as the source cluster (e.g., if the source cluster was in us-east-1, switch your console to us-east-1).
3. Navigate to the Amazon Redshift service and go to the Snapshots section.
4. Click on the Shared with me tab. You should see the snapshot you shared from the source account.
5. Select the shared snapshot.
6. Click the Actions dropdown and select Copy snapshot. This will create a copy of the snapshot that is owned by your destination account and allows you to move it to a different region.
7. In the configuration pane:
   • New snapshot identifier: Give the copied snapshot a name (e.g., my-cluster-backup-copy-dest-account).
   • Destination region: Select your target region from the dropdown (e.g., eu-west-1).
8. Click Copy snapshot. The copy process will begin. This can take some time depending on the size of your snapshot.

Part 3: In the Destination AWS Account (Restoring the Cluster)

The final step is to switch to your destination region and use the copied snapshot to launch your new Redshift cluster.

Step 4: Restore the Cluster from the Copied Snapshot

1. In the Destination Account, switch your AWS Console to the Destination Region where you copied the snapshot.
2. Navigate to the Amazon Redshift service and go to Snapshots.
3. You will find the snapshot you just copied in the list with a Status of Available.
4. Select the snapshot, click the Actions dropdown, and choose Restore from snapshot.
5. You will now be taken to the cluster configuration page. Configure your new cluster as needed:
   • Cluster identifier: A unique name for your new cluster.
   • Node type and number of nodes: Choose the performance and capacity you need.
   • Network settings: Select the appropriate VPC and VPC security groups for your new environment.
   • Database configurations and IAM roles.
6. Review all the settings and click Restore cluster.

Your new Redshift cluster will now be provisioned in the new account and region with all the data from the snapshot. 🎉

Key Costs to Consider

Be aware of these three main cost components during this process:

1. Snapshot Storage Cost (in Source Account)

You are charged for storing manual snapshots in the source account. This cost is based on the amount of data stored per month. While automated snapshots are often included free up to the size of your cluster, manual snapshots always incur a storage fee.

• Cost: Billed per GB-month. Prices vary by region.
• Example: If your snapshot is 500 GB and the storage cost is $0.022 per GB-month, you'd pay approximately $11 per month to keep that snapshot.

2. Cross-Region Data Transfer Cost

This is often the most significant cost in the migration process. When you perform Step 3 (Copy snapshot to a new region), AWS charges for the data transferred out of the source region.

• Cost: Billed per GB of data transferred. The price varies significantly depending on the source and destination regions.
• Example: Transferring a 500 GB snapshot from US East (N. Virginia) to Europe (Ireland) could cost around $0.02 per GB, resulting in a one-time charge of approximately $10 (500 GB * $0.02/GB).

3. Restored Redshift Cluster Cost (in Destination Account)

Once the new cluster is created in the destination account, you will be billed for its regular operational costs.

• Cost: Billed per hour based on the node type and number of nodes you chose during the restore process. This is the standard pricing for running a Redshift cluster.

To manage expenses, delete the manual snapshot from the source account and the copied snapshot in the destination account after you have successfully restored and verified the new cluster.

Source: https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/account-transfer-redshift

Source: https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/redshift-s3-cross-account

Redshift Cross-Region Snapshot FAQs

Common questions about Redshift cross-region snapshot copies: why sharing and copying are separate steps, why a shared snapshot appears to go missing, and what the migration costs.

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