Opportunity Name
DynamoDB Replace Weekly Backups with PITR
AWS Resource Type
Amazon DynamoDB
Opportunity Description
This Finder identifies Amazon DynamoDB tables where multiple short-lived backups (such as weekly or daily backups with retention of 35 days or less) can be replaced by Point-In-Time Recovery (PITR) to reduce backup storage costs while improving recovery capabilities.
DynamoDB backups are full backups, meaning each retained backup incurs independent storage charges. When two or more backups are retained, the total cost often exceeds the cost of PITR, despite PITR having a higher per-GB price. PITR provides continuous backup coverage with the ability to restore to any second within the last 35 days, offering significantly better recovery granularity than fixed backup schedules.
This opportunity highlights tables that do not require retention beyond 35 days and are suitable candidates for consolidating backups into PITR.
Criteria for Identifying the Opportunity
A DynamoDB table is identified as an optimization opportunity when all of the following conditions are met:
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The table exists and is in ACTIVE state
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The table is not a Global Table
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The table has two or more backups with retention periods ≤ 35 days
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No backup policies associated with the table have retention periods greater than 35 days
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Backups are not configured for cross-region copy
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The table does not have a
cloudfix:dont-fix-ittag applied -
The estimated annual savings from replacing backups with PITR exceeds the minimum savings threshold
CloudFix uses AWS Cost & Usage Report (CUR) data, DynamoDB APIs, and AWS Backup APIs to analyze table size, backup policies, retention periods, and storage costs.
Potential Savings (Range in % on Annual Basis)
Savings depend on table size, number of retained backups, and any applicable enterprise discounts. In general:
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Replacing 2 or more short-lived backups with PITR typically results in 20–60%+ annual savings on DynamoDB backup storage costs.
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Additional value is gained through improved recovery capabilities, as PITR allows restore to any second within the last 35 days.
What Happens When the Fixer Is Executed?
There is no automatic Fixer for this opportunity.
CloudFix provides a recommendation only. Customers must manually:
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Enable Point-In-Time Recovery (PITR) on the DynamoDB table, and
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Review and remove or disable redundant short-retention backup policies as appropriate
PITR can be enabled without disrupting existing backups, allowing customers to validate the new backup strategy before removing scheduled backups.
Is It Possible to Roll Back Once Implemented?
Yes.
As with implementation, rollback is a manual process and can be achieved by:
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Re-enabling previous AWS Backup plans or creating new backups, and
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Disabling PITR if required
No data restoration is required unless explicitly desired.
Can CloudFix Implement the Fix Automatically Once I Accept the Recommendation?
No.
This opportunity is Finder-only. CloudFix does not currently provide an automated Fixer for enabling PITR or removing backup policies. All changes must be reviewed and implemented manually by the customer.
Does This Fix Require Downtime?
No.
Enabling PITR and modifying backup configurations for DynamoDB tables does not require downtime and does not affect table availability.
Bill Gleeson
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