Create or delete AWS databases by sending an email

Lets your team spin up or tear down AWS databases just by emailing a command, no console access needed.

How the work actually flows

It branches. Exactly one path is taken.

Pattern: Exclusive Choice (4) · Simple Merge (5)

flowchart TD trig>"email with database command arrives"]:::trig s0[("record database status")]:::store s1["send confirmation email"]:::task trig --> s0 gx{"× create or delete database"}:::gate s0 --> gx p00["provision database with terraform"]:::task gx -->|"create requested"| p00 p10["tear down database with terraform"]:::task gx -->|"delete requested"| p10 jn{"○ database action done"}:::gate p00 --> jn p10 --> jn jn --> s1 out[/"database created or removed on request"/]:::out pay{{"self-serve infrastructure without a ticket"}}:::pay s1 --> out out --> pay classDef task fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#34b8f0,color:#2c2a29 classDef svc fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#7c8795,color:#2c2a29 classDef mi fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29,stroke-width:2px classDef human fill:#fff,stroke:#0079a8,color:#0079a8 classDef store fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29 classDef trig fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigtime fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigdata fill:#8ad4f5,stroke:#0079a8,color:#06314c,font-weight:bold classDef gate fill:#fff,stroke:#e8a23d,color:#6b4708,font-weight:bold classDef out fill:#1f9d6b,stroke:#167a53,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef pay fill:#06314c,stroke:#021f33,color:#fff
Starts itA stepA record or sheetOne path onlyPaths rejoinResultPayoff
Build size
Standard

A mid-size build with several tools working together.

Business functions
Email AutomationSpreadsheet & Database Ops
Connects
GmailAWSTerraformGoogle Sheets

The problem it solves

Requesting a new database from IT means filing a ticket and waiting, and cleaning up test databases afterward is easy to forget. Your team needs a fast way to provision infrastructure without giving everyone console access. Keeping track of which databases exist and their status adds another manual chore.

Who it fits

An engineering or DevOps team that provisions databases for projects and testing.

How it works

  1. An email arrives with a create or delete database command and the details
  2. The email is read and the database engine, size, and region are extracted
  3. Terraform runs the request to create or delete the AWS database
  4. The database's status is recorded in a spreadsheet
  5. A confirmation email is sent back with the result
What you get

Databases spun up from an email request

Your engineering team can create or remove an AWS database by sending an email instead of opening the console.

What you get

A provisioned or removed AWS database, an updated status log, and a confirmation email.

What you need

A Gmail account, an AWS account, and a Google Sheets account.

We can build this. But should you?

The hard question is not how to build it. It is whether this is the right thing to build first.

That is what a Fractional Chief AI Officer figures out with you, before anyone writes a line of code.

Let's Talk Strategy

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