Scaling a WordPress Application on AWS: EBS vs. EFS & Database Considerations

Introduction

This discussion focuses on architecting a scalable WordPress website (MyWordPress.com) on AWS. Unlike a stateless web application, WordPress requires persistent storage for images, blog content, and user data. We explore the best approaches to storing files and databases while ensuring scalability, availability, and cost efficiency.

1. Database Layer: RDS vs. Aurora MySQL

WordPress relies on a MySQL-compatible database to store blog content, user data, and configurations.

Option 1: Amazon RDS (Relational Database Service)

• Uses a Multi-AZ setup for automatic failover.
• Can be scaled vertically (larger instance types) or horizontally (Read Replicas).

Option 2: Amazon Aurora (Preferred)

• More scalable than RDS, with automatic storage scaling.
• Supports Multi-AZ, Read Replicas, and Global Databases.
• Better performance with fewer I/O operations.

✅ Best Choice: Aurora MySQL for better scalability, performance, and durability.

2. Storage Layer: EBS vs. EFS for WordPress Media Files

WordPress stores images and uploads on disk, requiring a shared storage solution for multiple instances.

Option 1: Amazon EBS (Elastic Block Store)

• Attached to a single EC2 instance.
• Great for single-instance WordPress deployments.