In the previous lesson, you learned how to create an Aura Free database instance and understand the key factors that influence instance configuration.
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
-
Inspect your instance to find connection details
-
Configure your instance as needs change
-
Understand backup and restore limitations
Understanding instance management
Your Aura instance comes with a comprehensive set of management options accessible through the three-dot menu in your console.
The menu provides access to the following options:
-
Inspect - View connection details and instance statistics
-
Snapshots - Take and export database snapshots
-
Backup & Restore - Restore database from a backup file
-
Clone to - Clone the data in the graph to a new or existing instance
-
Upgrade - Upgrade your instance to a higher tier
-
Reset to blank - Clear the database and start fresh
-
Delete - Permanently delete the instance and all data
Inspecting your instance
The inspect option allows you to view the details of your instance.
Here you will find connection information for the database, the current version and tier related information.
You can rename your instance by clicking the pencil icon to the top right of the name.
This panel also allows you to view and take snapshots and restore the database from a backup.
Scaling and configuration
As your application grows, you may need to adjust your instance size or move to a different tier. You can scale up or down by clicking Upgrade.
Upgrading an Aura Free instance
Upgrade will allow you to change the instance to a higher tier.
This will open up the Upgrade instance modal window, allowing you to select the tier you want to upgrade to.
Upgrading to Aura Professional
Upgrading to Aura Professional or Business Critical tiers requires adding payment information. That is not covered in this training. Do it when you need it.
Configuring instance sizes
For Aura Professional and Business Critical tiers, you can configure the instance size by clicking the Configure button.
Configure allows you to resize (in both directions) the instance according to your needs.
This screen allows you to resize the size of the memory, number of CPUs and the storage space. The storage space is adjustable to store larger graphs on disk for when you don’t require the entire graph to be loaded into memory.
Additional configuration
You can also enable the Graph Analytics library and turn on Vector optimized configuration. These are outside of the scope of this course.
Once you have chosen your configuration and have reviewed the pricing outlined at the bottom of the page, check I accept and then click Configure.
Configuration may take a few minutes to complete, but read and write access will be maintained during this time.
Deleting an instance
Deleting an instance will terminate the instance and delete all data associated with it.
This is a permanent action. Unlike pausing, there’s no coming back from deletion unless you have exported snapshots.
Before deleting, ensure you have exported any data you want to keep.
Check your understanding
Inspect your instance
What can you do from the Inspect panel? Select all that apply.
-
✓ View connection details and database URI
-
✓ Rename your instance using the pencil icon
-
❏ Delete your instance permanently
-
✓ View current Neo4j version and tier information
-
❏ Upgrade to a higher tier
Hint
The inspect panel is specifically for viewing information and basic instance management. Think about what you can see and modify directly within this panel versus what requires other menu options.
Solution
The correct answers are:
-
View connection details and database URI - The inspect panel shows the connection information needed to connect to your database.
-
Rename your instance using the pencil icon - You can click the pencil icon next to the instance name to change it.
-
View current Neo4j version and tier information - The panel displays the current Neo4j version and which tier (Free, Professional, etc.) your instance is running on.
Deleting and upgrading are separate options in the three-dot menu, not part of the inspect panel itself.
Configure
An instance can only be made bigger, not smaller. True or false?
-
❏ True. The storage can not be compressed.
-
❏ Neither. An instance can not be reconfigured at all, you have to create a new one.
-
✓ False. A reconfiguration can go either way.
Hint
Think about real-world scenarios - might you sometimes need to scale down after peak usage periods or if you initially over-provisioned?
Solution
You can resize an instance according to your needs. If you make it smaller the data does of course have to fit in the smaller size. It is however not uncommon that an instance is oversized/underused.
Sizing up/down for/after peak usage is also a common practice.
Summary
In this lesson, you learned the essential management operations for Aura instances:
-
Inspecting instances - Access connection details, instance statistics, and configuration information through the three-dot menu
-
Upgrading instances - Move from Aura Free to Professional tiers with payment information
-
Configuring instance sizes - Adjust memory, CPU, and storage for Professional and Business Critical tiers
-
Cloning instances - Create copies for development, testing, or staging environments
-
Deleting instances - Permanently remove instances and data (with proper export planning)
Understanding these management capabilities gives you the flexibility to adapt your Aura setup as your needs change, whether scaling for increased demand or managing development environments.
In the next lesson, you’ll learn about understanding costs and how Aura pricing compares to self-managed alternatives.