Running a global SaaS service has its limits with a single region. We share our experience building a multi-region architecture across Seoul and Virginia.
Why Multi-Region is Necessary
Minimizing latency, disaster recovery (DR), and data sovereignty compliance are the three main reasons for multi-region. Response times under 100ms must be guaranteed in each region.
Data Synchronization Strategy
Using Aurora Global Database enables cross-region data replication within 1 second. Writes are handled only on the Primary, while reads are served from each region's Replica.
Deployment Pipeline Design
For multi-region deployments using GitLab CI/CD, we recommend deploying first to the lower-traffic region for canary testing before rolling out globally.
Cost Optimization
By analyzing cross-region data transfer costs and Reserved Instance pricing differences by region, you can build a multi-region setup for only 30-40% additional cost compared to a single region.
The essence of multi-region architecture is establishing confidence at the design level that 'the service will remain operational no matter where a failure occurs.'
ApexStack provides end-to-end support from AWS infrastructure design to operational optimization.