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AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery
What AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery is
AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery helps restore applications from on-premises infrastructure and other cloud environments onto AWS, with the aim of limiting downtime and data loss. It can launch recovery instances within minutes from either the latest server state or a selected earlier point in time. After recovery, data can be replicated back to the primary site so teams can fail back when ready. Recovery sources include physical servers, VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and other cloud providers. The service supports applications and databases on supported Windows and Linux versions, including Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, and SAP. Recovery targets are EC2 instances in another Availability Zone or AWS Region.
Teams can run recovery and failback drills without interrupting ongoing replication. Point-in-time recovery can start an operational copy from before a security incident. Replicated data uses TLS 1.2 in transit and can use Amazon EBS encryption at rest. Private replication connections can use VPN, AWS Direct Connect, or VPC peering. Post-launch steps can run Systems Manager commands or automations, and network settings can be replicated. The plan is $0.03 a month, billed at $0.028 per source server per hour; additional AWS resource charges apply.
Who it suits
AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery suits teams that need to recover supported Windows or Linux applications from physical servers, VMware, Hyper-V, or other cloud providers onto AWS. It is relevant to organizations that want point-in-time recovery, recovery drills, and a path to replicate data back to a primary site.
What it does well
- Launches recovery instances within minutes from current or earlier server states.
- Supports recovery drills while replication continues.
- Recovers EC2 instances in another Availability Zone or AWS Region.
- Supports Oracle, MySQL, SQL Server, and SAP workloads.
- Offers failback orchestration and test failover.
- Can replicate network settings and run post-launch Systems Manager actions.
What to know first
- There is no free plan.
- Additional AWS resource charges apply beyond the listed plan price.
- Production users are advised to have Business or Enterprise Support.
- One staging account supports up to 300 replicating servers.
Limits
The plan is billed at $0.028 per source server per hour, and additional AWS resource charges apply. A staging account supports up to 300 replicating servers; up to 3,000 servers can replicate into one target account using multiple staging accounts.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery | $0.028 per source server per hour · Pricing includes continuous data replication, test launches, recovery launches, and point-in-time recovery; additional AWS resource charges apply | $0.03 a month |
As aws.amazon.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery website.
- Choose the AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery plan at $0.03 a month, billed at $0.028 per source server per hour.
- Prepare supported Windows or Linux servers from a physical environment, VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, or another cloud provider.
- Configure replication to AWS and select an EC2 recovery destination in another Availability Zone or Region.
- Run a test failover or recovery drill while replication continues.
Verdict
Choose AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery if you need to recover supported workloads onto EC2 and want point-in-time recovery, ongoing replication, and failback support. Look elsewhere if you need failover orchestration or a free plan; those are not included in the listed facts.
Questions
How much does AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery cost?
The listed plan is $0.03 a month, billed at $0.028 per source server per hour. Additional AWS resource charges apply.
Is there a free plan?
No. The pricing model is paid.
Which platforms does it support?
The listed platforms are API, Linux, web, and Windows. Supported workloads include applications and databases on supported Windows and Linux versions.
Can it recover applications from other environments?
Yes. Recovery sources include physical infrastructure, VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and other cloud providers.
Can teams test recovery before an incident?
Yes. It supports non-disruptive recovery and failback drills while replication continues.
Does it provide failover orchestration?
No. Failover orchestration is listed as unavailable; failback orchestration is listed as available.
Facts from AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery's own pages
- Agent limits
- The installation guide states a maximum of 64 TiB per volume and 63 volumes per source server in its current requirements page. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Agent requirements
- The replication agent requires 64-bit x86_64 systems, or arm64 Linux only on AWS Graviton EC2, plus IAM credentials and outbound TCP 443 access. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- API and SDK
- The public DRS API exposes operations for replication templates, launch templates, recovery plans, source networks and recovery instances; Boto3 provides a drs client. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Automated actions
- Post-launch actions can run AWS Systems Manager commands or automations, with predefined options such as installing a CloudWatch agent. · aws.amazon.com, 4 Oct 2026
- AWS destinations
- AWS DRS can recover EC2 instances in another Availability Zone or AWS Region. · aws.amazon.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Compliance scope
- AWS lists AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery as in scope for SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3 assurance programs. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- AWS publishes a user guide, API reference, installation procedures, operating-system matrices, networking requirements, FAQs and release notes. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- Replication traffic uses TLS 1.2 or later, while staging and recovery EBS volumes use AWS KMS encryption by default or a customer-managed key. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Existing-instance recovery
- Recovery can target an original or predefined existing EC2 instance instead of creating a new one. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Failback
- After a disruption, recovered workloads can replicate back to the original environment and fail back when ready. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Fast recovery mode
- A July 2026 release added Fast recovery mode, which skips conversion and launches directly from replicated snapshots when the agent requirement is met. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2006 · aws.amazon.com, 28 Sept 2026
- IPv6
- An April 2026 release added IPv6 support for replication and control-plane connections in Regions where DRS and EC2 support IPv6. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Launch management
- Launch management settings can be applied as defaults to new servers or changed in bulk for existing servers. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: G2 reviewers
- G2 reviewers report pricing complexity, AWS ecosystem dependence, slow initial replication, setup difficulty for nontechnical users, support delays and RTO/RPO limitations. · g2.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: PeerSpot reviewers
- PeerSpot reviewers request better monitoring and reporting, clearer cost visibility, simpler setup, improved interface and faster support; one reviewer reported failback failure. · peerspot.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Limit: source coverage
- A PeerSpot reviewer said the service did not support all of their backup types in a MongoDB-oriented use case. · peerspot.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Linux installation prerequisites
- Linux installation requires root or sudo, at least 4 GB free on /, 500 MB on /tmp, matching kernel headers, gcc and make, and an executable /tmp. · docs.aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Maker facts
- Amazon Web Services launched in 2006, is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and lists more than 10,001 employees on LinkedIn. · linkedin.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Network recovery
- AWS DRS can replicate network settings including subnet CIDRs, security groups, route tables, internet gateways, and network ACLs. · aws.amazon.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Network replication
- The service can replicate VPC subnet CIDRs, security groups, route tables, internet gateways and network ACL configuration. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Non-disruptive drills
- AWS DRS supports recovery and failback drills that do not stop ongoing replication or affect the source application. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Notable news
- On August 27, 2026, AWS announced Recovery Plans for sequential multi-server recovery and drills with no additional charge beyond standard DRS usage. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026
- Point-in-time recovery
- Recovery can use the latest replicated state or a selected earlier point in time. · aws.amazon.com, 21 Oct 2026