DB containers vs DB servers

You can create both database containers in your Docker environment, or managed database services, in MedStack. Each have their pros and cons. Please take a moment to review this article to help make an informed decision when deciding which method you'll choose to implement.

	Container databases	Managed database service
Types supported	Any containerized database (e.g. postgres, mysql, mariadb, mongo, redis) See database services on Docker Hub.	PostgreSQL MySQL
Connectivity	Docker service accessible using the host name (service name).	Cloud resource accessible using connection strings.
Compliance	Yes – all Docker services ran on MedStack are configured for operational privacy compliance.	Yes – all cloud resources provisioned via MedStack are configured for operational privacy compliance.
Auto-scaling	CPU/Memory: No – limited to the node on which the service is pinned. Capacity: No – limited to disk size on node. Contact support if more compute resources or capacity is required.	CPU/Memory: No – limited to the server size when creating the service. Capacity: Yes – default configuration. Contact support if more compute resources or capacity is required.
Backups	Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly Retains monthly snapshots indefinitely.	Daily Retains daily full backups for 35 days. Transaction logs available in 5 minute intervals to bridge latest full backup and real-time.
Restoration	Not database specific. Data is backed up to configured Docker volumes. Please contact support for database specific restorations.	Database specific, contact support.
Price	Free, but certain databases may have licensing costs.	Hourly, set by cloud provider. See Azure's managed database pricing for PostgreSQL and MySQL.
Recommendations	Make use of: • Labels on nodes • Volume mapping for the Swarm • Volume mapping for the service • Configuring only one (1) replica of the service • Placement constraints for the service pinning it to a node	Make use of: • Secrets or Configs to handle the connection string • Replicas for General Purpose type services (allows for hot-swapping databases)