I'm at a deciding point in my project of whether to implement the database using SimpleDB or Amazon RDS. The database needs to be accessed through an iPhone app and as well through a website. Here are some factors I've been considering in the decision:
- Amazon has an iOS SDK (Beta) for iPhone that can be used with their SimpleDB -- Getting Started with the AWS SDK for iOS(Beta)
- Cost. SimpleDB is practically free while running a small RDS instance is $80/month or around $240/ year. If the price wasn't such a difference I would just choose the RDS and be done with it.
- If SimpleDB is all that I require for my app then I am fine using that, but I do not know enough about databases yet (I just began my Database I course today) to decide if it has the functionality I need.
The other thing is that I've already built the website using PHP/MySQL and I really like how easy it is to use this combination so having to re-build it using SimpleDB is kind of annoying.
I think that I should probably just pay the cost for a year's worth of an RDS instance and just be done with it, but I just wanted to see what other people have to say about this.