InfoQ – November 2023

From Google AlloyDB Omni to Timescale Dynamic PostgreSQL, from AWS European Sovereign Cloud to MySQL 8.2: a recap of my pieces for InfoQ in November.

Amazon EC2 Enhances Defense in Depth with Default IMDSv2

To improve defense against open firewalls, reverse proxies, and SSRF vulnerabilities, AWS has recently announced that new Amazon EC2 instance types will support only version 2 of the EC2 Instance Metadata Service (IMDSv2). For transition support, customers will still be able to enable IMDSv1.

Google AlloyDB Omni: PostgreSQL-Compatible Database for On-Premises and VMware Cloud Foundation

Google Cloud recently announced the general availability of AlloyDB Omni, a downloadable version of the PostgreSQL-compatible database service AlloyDB. The new version is designed to run on-premises, has built-in support for generative AI, and will be available on VMware Cloud Foundation.

Timescale Introduces Dynamic PostgreSQL, an Alternative to Serverless Databases

Timescale recently introduced Dynamic PostgreSQL, a new cloud-managed option to scale the database capacity within a predefined vCPU range. Promoted as “buy the base and rent the peak”, the new option scales the capacity according to the load, trying to address the unpredictability and variability of serverless options.

Azure Bastion Developer SKU: Cheaper Secure Connectivity to Azure Virtual Machines

Azure has recently announced the public preview of Bastion Developer SKU, the latest addition to the managed bastion service on Azure. The new option targets dev/test users seeking secure and simple VM connections without the need for additional features or scalability.

AWS Announces European Sovereign Cloud for Government Agencies and Regulated Industries

AWS has recently announced that it is working on a European Sovereign Cloud, a new European region that will be operationally independent of all existing AWS regions. No availability date has been provided for the new option that targets government agencies and regulated industries that store sensitive data and run critical workloads in the European Union (EU).

MySQL 8.2 Introduces Transparent Read/Write Splitting

Oracle has recently announced the general availability of MySQL 8.2, which includes support for Read/Write Splitting. This long-awaited feature has been introduced in the latest innovation release and helps optimize database performance and scalability.

Cloudflare, Google and AWS Disclose HTTP/2 Zero-Day Vulnerability

On October 10th, Cloudflare, Google, and AWS disclosed a novel zero-day vulnerability attack known as the “HTTP/2 Rapid Reset.” This attack exploits a weakness in the HTTP/2 protocol to generate enormous Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, up to almost 400 million requests per second (rps).

CloudWatch Introduces Best Practice Alarm Recommendations for 19 AWS Services

AWS has recently introduced “out-of-the-box” best practice alarm recommendations for Amazon CloudWatch. This new option is designed to improve observability on the AWS platform, allowing users to easily add alarms from the console and download templates for CloudFormation, Terraform, and the CLI.