# Phase 4: Operate and optimize
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Optimize your database by assessing your application stack for cost, performance, security, and resiliency. For example, use automatic scaling features to add more read replicas during peak hours, and then remove them during off-peak hours when costs are lower.

You can also use AWS services that integrate with Amazon RDS databases, such as directing your database engine logs to Amazon CloudWatch Logs for analysis, and use Performance Insights to help you analyze and visualize your database. For more information, see [Best practices for configuring performance parameters for Amazon RDS for SQL Server](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/database/best-practices-for-configuring-performance-parameters-for-amazon-rds-for-sql-server/).