For large companies or those with big data analytics needs, basic cloud computing services may not help. Open source options may be too unreliable or not fast enough, on-site alternatives require too much maintenance, or there are too many complex variables for internal IT staff to worry about. Amazon Aurora is a next-generation relational database built for the cloud with the IT savvy to track the most performance-driven data analytics projects. While a normal cloud database can be run using open source options (including Amazon's called RDS or Relational Database Service), Aurora is a big step forward as it is essentially a relational database. enterprise grade that runs in the cloud, but still offers the same intuitive Amazon RDS user interface (and actually runs on top of RDS). A relational database for business use is a different beast from a normal relational database. Panels are much more complex, but above all, there is a need for the exceptional speed, reliability, and security that Aurora offers. A pharmaceutical company may be creating a new prescription drug and it needs to be developed quickly. A government entity can perform big data analytics on a new city-wide infrastructure change, such as replacing bridges. An automaker may need to test the materials used in a new electric vehicle that will need to meet government standards and be lightweight enough for a better MPG rating. One thing is clear: the needs are much higher than for normal cloud services. In some cases, a business may require up to 64TB of data storage per DB instance or continuous backup of all data, which means there is little room for error. Reliability requirements may be related to 99.99% availability. When the Big Data project is tied to the discovery of new drugs, the safety of human drivers in a new car, or the bridges in a city, compromise is not an option. Interestingly, while the Amazon Aurora service is enterprise-grade in terms of performance, scalability, reliability, and security, it is not enterprise-grade in terms of cost. Businesses pay a fraction of the cost for this service compared to what they would pay for an on-premises solution or a competitive product that requires a minimal number of instances. In terms of speed, Amazon estimates that Aurora is up to five times faster than a normal MySQL or PostgreSQL DB instance, but that's a tenth of the cost.