# Configuring backtracking a Aurora MySQL DB cluster
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring"></a>

To use the Backtrack feature, you must enable backtracking and specify a target backtrack window. Otherwise, backtracking is disabled.

For the target backtrack window, specify the amount of time that you want to be able to rewind your database using Backtrack. Aurora tries to retain enough change records to support that window of time.

## Console
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.Console"></a>

You can use the console to configure backtracking when you create a new DB cluster. You can also modify a DB cluster to change the backtrack window for a backtrack-enabled cluster. If you turn off backtracking entirely for a cluster by setting the backtrack window to 0, you can't enable backtrack again for that cluster.

**Topics**
+ [

### Configuring backtracking with the console when creating a DB cluster
](#AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.Console.Creating)
+ [

### Configuring backtrack with the console when modifying a DB cluster
](#AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.Console.Modifying)

### Configuring backtracking with the console when creating a DB cluster
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.Console.Creating"></a>

When you create a new Aurora MySQL DB cluster, backtracking is configured when you choose **Enable Backtrack** and specify a **Target Backtrack window** value that is greater than zero in the **Backtrack** section.

To create a DB cluster, follow the instructions in [Creating an Amazon Aurora DB cluster](Aurora.CreateInstance.md). The following image shows the **Backtrack** section.

![\[Enable Backtrack during DB cluster creation with console\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/AuroraUserGuide/images/aurora-backtrack-create.png)


When you create a new DB cluster, Aurora has no data for the DB cluster's workload. So it can't estimate a cost specifically for the new DB cluster. Instead, the console presents a typical user cost for the specified target backtrack window based on a typical workload. The typical cost is meant to provide a general reference for the cost of the Backtrack feature.

**Important**  
Your actual cost might not match the typical cost, because your actual cost is based on your DB cluster's workload.

### Configuring backtrack with the console when modifying a DB cluster
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.Console.Modifying"></a>

You can modify backtracking for a DB cluster using the console.

**Note**  
Currently, you can modify backtracking only for a DB cluster that has the Backtrack feature enabled. The **Backtrack** section doesn't appear for a DB cluster that was created with the Backtrack feature disabled or if the Backtrack feature has been disabled for the DB cluster.

**To modify backtracking for a DB cluster using the console**

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Amazon RDS console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/rds/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/rds/).

1. Choose **Databases**.

1. Choose the cluster that you want to modify, and choose **Modify**.

1. For **Target Backtrack window**, modify the amount of time that you want to be able to backtrack. The limit is 72 hours.  
![\[Modify Backtrack with console\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/AuroraUserGuide/images/aurora-backtrack-modify.png)

   The console shows the estimated cost for the amount of time you specified based on the DB cluster's past workload:
   + If backtracking was disabled on the DB cluster, the cost estimate is based on the `VolumeWriteIOPS` metric for the DB cluster in Amazon CloudWatch.
   + If backtracking was enabled previously on the DB cluster, the cost estimate is based on the `BacktrackChangeRecordsCreationRate` metric for the DB cluster in Amazon CloudWatch.

1. Choose **Continue**.

1. For **Scheduling of Modifications**, choose one of the following:
   + **Apply during the next scheduled maintenance window** – Wait to apply the **Target Backtrack window** modification until the next maintenance window.
   + **Apply immediately** – Apply the **Target Backtrack window** modification as soon as possible.

1. Choose **Modify cluster**.

## AWS CLI
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.CLI"></a>

When you create a new Aurora MySQL DB cluster using the [create-db-cluster](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/create-db-cluster.html) AWS CLI command, backtracking is configured when you specify a `--backtrack-window` value that is greater than zero. The `--backtrack-window` value specifies the target backtrack window. For more information, see [Creating an Amazon Aurora DB cluster](Aurora.CreateInstance.md).

You can also specify the `--backtrack-window` value using the following AWS CLI commands:
+  [modify-db-cluster](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/modify-db-cluster.html) 
+  [restore-db-cluster-from-s3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/restore-db-cluster-from-s3.html) 
+  [restore-db-cluster-from-snapshot](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/restore-db-cluster-from-snapshot.html) 
+  [restore-db-cluster-to-point-in-time](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/restore-db-cluster-to-point-in-time.html) 

The following procedure describes how to modify the target backtrack window for a DB cluster using the AWS CLI.

**To modify the target backtrack window for a DB cluster using the AWS CLI**
+ Call the [modify-db-cluster](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/rds/modify-db-cluster.html) AWS CLI command and supply the following values:
  + `--db-cluster-identifier` – The name of the DB cluster.
  + `--backtrack-window` – The maximum number of seconds that you want to be able to backtrack the DB cluster.

  The following example sets the target backtrack window for `sample-cluster` to one day (86,400 seconds).

  For Linux, macOS, or Unix:

  ```
  aws rds modify-db-cluster \
      --db-cluster-identifier sample-cluster \
      --backtrack-window 86400
  ```

  For Windows:

  ```
  aws rds modify-db-cluster ^
      --db-cluster-identifier sample-cluster ^
      --backtrack-window 86400
  ```

**Note**  
Currently, you can enable backtracking only for a DB cluster that was created with the Backtrack feature enabled.

## RDS API
<a name="AuroraMySQL.Managing.Backtrack.Configuring.API"></a>

When you create a new Aurora MySQL DB cluster using the [CreateDBCluster](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/APIReference/API_CreateDBCluster.html) Amazon RDS API operation, backtracking is configured when you specify a `BacktrackWindow` value that is greater than zero. The `BacktrackWindow` value specifies the target backtrack window for the DB cluster specified in the `DBClusterIdentifier` value. For more information, see [Creating an Amazon Aurora DB cluster](Aurora.CreateInstance.md).

You can also specify the `BacktrackWindow` value using the following API operations:
+  [ModifyDBCluster](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/APIReference/API_ModifyDBCluster.html) 
+  [RestoreDBClusterFromS3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/APIReference/API_RestoreDBClusterFromS3.html) 
+  [RestoreDBClusterFromSnapshot](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/APIReference/API_RestoreDBClusterFromSnapshot.html) 
+  [RestoreDBClusterToPointInTime](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/APIReference/API_RestoreDBClusterToPointInTime.html) 

**Note**  
Currently, you can enable backtracking only for a DB cluster that was created with the Backtrack feature enabled.