AWS RDS backup Time and Latest Restore Time

Question

1. As far as I know, AWS automatic backup takes the backup on daily bases in a backup window.(It is a daily event)
2. Latest Restore Time is the latest time to which I can restore my database. It has the interval of 5 minutes. i.e. I can restore my db instance state to latest to last 5 minutes.

My question is If the AWS automatic backup takes the backup on daily bases then how we are able to restore our database to time latest of last 5 minutes even if the last backup was taken X hours ago? Where are the details till last 5 minute stored because the last backup was created some hours before(say 23 hours ago)?

Answer 1

2 things need to be understood :

 1. automated backups 
 2. database snapshot

Automated backup feature of RDS BY DEFAULT enables point-in-time recovery of your DB instance. When automated backups are turned on for your DB Instance,RDS automatically performs a full daily snapshot of your data (during your preferred backup window) and captures transaction logs (as updates to your DB Instance are made).

So to answer your first question: When you initiate a point-in-time recovery, transaction logs are applied to the most appropriate daily backup in order to restore your DB instance to the specific time you requested.

The second question: where are my "details" , which are actually transactional logs stored? , at AWS RDS backend and you can see these logs on console as well