Continuum FAQ

Answers to common questions about Cockroach Continuum.

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About Continuum

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What is Cockroach Continuum?

Cockroach Continuum is an agentic database cloud built on CockroachDB: a platform with virtualization, usage-based storage, a managed monitoring agent, and an AI-guided migration workflow. Refer to the overview.

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How does Continuum relate to CockroachDB and CockroachDB Cloud?

Continuum is built on CockroachDB. Every cluster on Continuum is a CockroachDB cluster, and CockroachDB documentation applies to SQL and database behavior on every Continuum cluster. Continuum is enabled per organization: new CockroachDB Cloud organizations use Continuum, and the same user can belong to Continuum and other Cloud organizations. Existing clusters continue to run in their existing Cloud configurations and are not automatically migrated to Continuum.

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Is Continuum available for self-hosted deployments?

No. Continuum runs on CockroachDB Cloud. However, Cockroach Aegis can monitor both Cloud and self-hosted CockroachDB clusters, whether or not they use Continuum.

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Agents and AI

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Is Aegis optional?

Yes. Aegis is in private preview and requires sign-up and opt-in to connect a cluster. For connection requirements, see How do I connect a cluster?.

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Can Aegis modify my data or schema?

No. Aegis’s access to the monitored cluster is read-only. You review its recommendations and apply any changes through your normal change process. For more information, see Security and Administration.

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How does Aegis fit alongside monitoring tools like Datadog or Prometheus?

Aegis complements those tools with CockroachDB-specific reports, investigations, and recommendations. For how Aegis builds context about a cluster over time, see Automatic monitoring through Check-ins.

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Editions, clusters, and features

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Which edition should I choose?

Choose Standard for production workloads that run well on shared infrastructure. Choose Mission Critical for dedicated infrastructure, the strictest recovery objectives, the full security feature set, and hosting virtual clusters. Refer to Editions and Add-Ons.

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Can I change a cluster’s edition later?

No. Editions are chosen at cluster creation. To change editions, create a new cluster and move the workload.

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What are virtual clusters, and what do they cost?

A virtual cluster is an isolated database created on a host cluster and served by the host’s nodes. Virtual clusters carry no separate charge: you pay for the host and Cluster Virtualization add-on, and virtual clusters share the host’s capacity. Refer to Work with Virtual Clusters.

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Are all CockroachDB features available on Continuum?

Feature availability depends on the cluster’s edition and add-ons. If a statement requires a feature your cluster’s plan does not include, it fails with an error that names the feature and directs you to contact Cockroach Labs. Refer to the feature reference.

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What is usage-based storage?

Usage-based storage bills for the data you store rather than the capacity you provision. Clusters with usage-based billing show consumption rather than capacity in the Console. Standard clusters run on shared infrastructure with usage-based storage billing. Single-region Mission Critical clusters can choose Plenum-backed usage-based storage at cluster creation. This storage model is in preview. Multi-region Mission Critical clusters and host clusters use provisioned storage.

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Can I change a cluster’s storage model later?

No. Single-region Mission Critical clusters choose a storage model at creation. To change storage models, create a new cluster and move the workload.

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Which cloud providers and regions does each edition support?

Standard clusters run on AWS and GCP in a subset of regions. Mission Critical clusters run on AWS, GCP, and Azure in every region listed below.

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Migrations

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How do I migrate to Continuum?

For PostgreSQL and MySQL sources, use the Migration Assistant, which guides schema conversion, data load, and verification. The Assistant’s target must be a Mission Critical cluster. It cannot target Standard clusters or BYOC destinations. For other sources and for replication-based cutover, use the .