Create & Delete AWS Rds Databases via Email Commands with Terraform

The workflow JSON

Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →

{
  "id": "RkDlxaIfbpwgxyDO",
  "name": "Automate Create and Delete AWS RDS Databases with Email",
  "tags": [],
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "4d5c0f8a-53b6-4032-abda-0a9ccf35f38d",
      "name": "Workflow Overview",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        1160,
        60
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "color": 4,
        "width": 420,
        "height": 360,
        "content": "## \ud83d\ude80 AWS RDS Database Manager\n\n### Features:\n\u2022 Monitors Gmail for 'Create RDS' or 'Delete RDS' email requests\n\u2022 Extracts database details from emails\n\u2022 Creates or deletes RDS instances via AWS API using Terraform\n\u2022 Updates status in Google Sheets\n\u2022 Sends confirmation emails\n\u2022 Error handling with notifications\n\u2022 Triggered by email arrival\n\n### Trigger: Gmail email receipt"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "56cf5386-1289-4749-97de-cb854afb1c3c",
      "name": "Terraform Vars",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        620,
        120
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "color": 6,
        "width": 460,
        "height": 260,
        "content": "\n### **`terraform.tfvars`** (example values)\n\n```hcl\naws_region       = \"us-east-1\"\ndb_identifier    = \"my-rds-instance\"\ndb_engine        = \"mysql\"\ninstance_class   = \"db.t3.micro\"\nallocated_storage = 20\ndb_username      = \"admin\"\ndb_password      = \"securepassword123\"\ndb_name          = \"MyRDSDatabase\"\n```\n\n"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "397dce95-bdb4-4570-90a5-41b58cd2071d",
      "name": "Gmail Trigger",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "position": [
        740,
        500
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "operation": "trigger"
      },
      "credentials": {
        "gmailOAuth2": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 2.1
    },
    {
      "id": "b904b90e-6495-4c19-a28b-afc37b3e0c1a",
      "name": "Parse Email Content",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "position": [
        960,
        500
      ],
      "parameters": {},
      "typeVersion": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "f5be0da2-a40b-42a0-837d-4bcb1e4176da",
      "name": "Manage RDS Instance",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.ssh",
      "position": [
        1180,
        500
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "command": "=$json.operation === 'create' ?\n`# Variables\nSERVER_USER=\"{{ $json.server_user }}\"\nSERVER_IP=\"{{ $json.server_ip }}\"\nWORKSPACE_NAME=\"{{ $json.db_identifier }}\"\nPWD=\"{{ $json.pwd }}\"\n\n# SSH and run Terraform commands\necho \"$PWD\" | ssh ${SERVER_USER}@${SERVER_IP} \"\n    cd /path/to/terraform/project &&\n    terraform workspace new ${WORKSPACE_NAME} || terraform workspace select ${WORKSPACE_NAME} &&\n    terraform init &&\n    terraform plan -out=tfplan &&\n    terraform apply -auto-approve tfplan\n\"` :\n`# Variables\nSERVER_USER=\"{{ $json.server_user }}\"\nSERVER_IP=\"{{ $json.server_ip }}\"\nWORKSPACE_NAME=\"{{ $json.db_identifier }}\"\nPWD=\"{{ $json.pwd }}\"\n\n# SSH and run Terraform destroy\necho \"$PWD\" | ssh ${SERVER_USER}@${SERVER_IP} \"\n    cd /path/to/terraform/project &&\n    terraform workspace select ${WORKSPACE_NAME} &&\n    terraform destroy -auto-approve\n\"`",
        "authentication": "privateKey"
      },
      "credentials": {
        "sshPrivateKey": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "2ca5d24d-3476-44db-a935-b359eef7d5f7",
      "name": "Update Google Sheet",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
      "position": [
        1400,
        500
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "columns": {
          "value": {
            "region": "={{ $json.region }}",
            "db_name": "={{ $json.db_name }}",
            "endpoint": "={{ $json.endpoint || 'N/A' }}",
            "db_engine": "={{ $json.db_engine }}",
            "operation": "={{ $json.operation }}",
            "timestamp": "={{ $now.toISO() }}",
            "db_identifier": "={{ $json.db_identifier }}",
            "instance_class": "={{ $json.instance_class }}",
            "requester_email": "={{ $json.requester_email }}",
            "operation_status": "={{ $json.operation_status || 'Completed' }}",
            "allocated_storage": "={{ $json.allocated_storage }}"
          },
          "schema": [
            {
              "id": "timestamp",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Timestamp",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "operation",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Operation",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "db_identifier",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "DB Identifier",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "db_name",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "DB Name",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "db_engine",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "DB Engine",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "instance_class",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Instance Class",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "allocated_storage",
              "type": "number",
              "displayName": "Allocated Storage",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "region",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Region",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "endpoint",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Endpoint",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "operation_status",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Operation Status",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            },
            {
              "id": "requester_email",
              "type": "string",
              "displayName": "Requester Email",
              "canBeUsedToMatch": true
            }
          ],
          "mappingMode": "defineBelow"
        },
        "options": {},
        "operation": "append",
        "sheetName": {
          "__rl": true,
          "mode": "list",
          "value": "RDS_Operations",
          "cachedResultName": "RDS Operations"
        },
        "documentId": {
          "__rl": true,
          "mode": "list",
          "value": "YOUR_RDS_SHEET_ID",
          "cachedResultName": "RDS Operations"
        },
        "authentication": "serviceAccount"
      },
      "credentials": {
        "googleApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 4.6
    },
    {
      "id": "2948754e-620d-457f-80fc-8568a27782f2",
      "name": "Send Confirmation Email",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
      "position": [
        1620,
        500
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "sendTo": "={{ $json.requester_email }}",
        "message": "=$json.operation === 'create' ?\n`<h2>\ud83d\ude80 RDS Database Creation Confirmation</h2><br><br><strong>Great news!</strong> Your RDS database has been created successfully.<br><br><div style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; border-left: 4px solid #28a745;\"><h3>\ud83d\udccb Database Details</h3><p><strong>DB Name:</strong> {{ $json.db_name }}<br><strong>DB Identifier:</strong> <code>{{ $json.db_identifier }}</code><br><strong>DB Engine:</strong> {{ $json.db_engine }}<br><strong>Instance Class:</strong> {{ $json.instance_class }}<br><strong>Allocated Storage:</strong> {{ $json.allocated_storage }} GB<br><strong>Region:</strong> {{ $json.region }}<br><strong>Endpoint:</strong> {{ $json.endpoint || 'Not available yet' }}</p></div><br><div style=\"background-color: #ffebee; padding: 15px; border-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid #f44336;\"><h4>\u26a0\ufe0f Important Notes</h4><ul><li>It may take a few minutes for the database to be fully available</li><li>Secure your credentials: <code>{{ $json.db_username }}/{{ $json.db_password }}</code></li><li>Remember to delete the database when no longer needed to avoid charges</li></ul></div><br><h3>\ud83d\udd17 AWS Console Link</h3><p><a href=\"https://{{ $json.region }}.console.aws.amazon.com/rds/home?region={{ $json.region }}#database:id={{ $json.db_identifier }}\" style=\"background-color: #007bff; color: white; padding: 10px 20px; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 5px;\">View in AWS Console</a></p><br><p>If you have any questions, please contact the infrastructure team.</p><br><p><em>This database was created automatically via n8n workflow.</em></p>` :\n`<h2>\ud83d\uddd1\ufe0f RDS Database Deletion Confirmation</h2><br><br><strong>Success!</strong> Your RDS database has been deleted.<br><br><div style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; border-left: 4px solid #dc3545;\"><h3>\ud83d\udccb Database Details</h3><p><strong>DB Name:</strong> {{ $json.db_name }}<br><strong>DB Identifier:</strong> <code>{{ $json.db_identifier }}</code><br><strong>Region:</strong> {{ $json.region }}</p></div><br><p>If you have any questions, please contact the infrastructure team.</p><br><p><em>This database was deleted automatically via n8n workflow.</em></p>`",
        "options": {
          "ccList": "user@example.com"
        },
        "subject": "={{ $json.operation === 'create' ? '\u2705 AWS RDS Database Created Successfully - ' + $json.db_name : '\ud83d\uddd1\ufe0f AWS RDS Database Deleted Successfully - ' + $json.db_name }}"
      },
      "credentials": {
        "gmailOAuth2": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 2.1
    },
    {
      "id": "54738eab-47eb-4177-bd57-713c80d9e465",
      "name": "Terraform Config",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        -60,
        0
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "color": 3,
        "width": 640,
        "height": 1480,
        "content": "### **`main.tf`**\n\n```hcl\n# Configure AWS provider\nprovider \"aws\" {\n  region  = var.aws_region\n  profile = var.aws_profile\n}\n\n# Create RDS instance\nresource \"aws_db_instance\" \"example\" {\n  identifier           = var.db_identifier\n  engine               = var.db_engine\n  instance_class       = var.instance_class\n  allocated_storage    = var.allocated_storage\n  username             = var.db_username\n  password             = var.db_password\n  skip_final_snapshot  = true\n\n  tags = {\n    Name = var.db_name\n  }\n}\n\n# Output RDS endpoint\noutput \"rds_endpoint\" {\n  value = aws_db_instance.example.endpoint\n}\n```\n\n---\n\n### **`variables.tf`**\n\n```hcl\nvariable \"aws_region\" {\n  description = \"AWS region to deploy in\"\n  type        = string\n}\n\nvariable \"aws_profile\" {\n  description = \"AWS CLI profile to use\"\n  type        = string\n  default     = \"default\"\n}\n\nvariable \"db_identifier\" {\n  description = \"RDS database identifier\"\n  type        = string\n}\n\nvariable \"db_engine\" {\n  description = \"Database engine (e.g., mysql, postgres)\"\n  type        = string\n}\n\nvariable \"instance_class\" {\n  description = \"RDS instance class\"\n  type        = string\n  default     = \"db.t3.micro\"\n}\n\nvariable \"allocated_storage\" {\n  description = \"Storage size in GB\"\n  type        = number\n  default     = 20\n}\n\nvariable \"db_username\" {\n  description = \"Database admin username\"\n  type        = string\n}\n\nvariable \"db_password\" {\n  description = \"Database admin password\"\n  type        = string\n  sensitive   = true\n}\n\nvariable \"db_name\" {\n  description = \"RDS database Name tag\"\n  type        = string\n}\n```\n\n---\n\n"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    }
  ],
  "active": false,
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1"
  },
  "versionId": "dfa9a87a-d049-4fe3-9151-954bf1d37081",
  "connections": {
    "Gmail Trigger": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Parse Email Content",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Manage RDS Instance": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Update Google Sheet",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Parse Email Content": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Manage RDS Instance",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Update Google Sheet": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Send Confirmation Email",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}

Credentials you'll need

Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.

• gmailOAuth2
• googleApi
• sshPrivateKey

About this workflow

This automated n8n workflow enables the creation and management of AWS RDS databases through email interactions. Users can send emails with commands such as "Create RDS" or "Delete RDS," including details like database engine, instance class, and credentials. The workflow parses…

Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/7294/ — original creator credit. Request a take-down →

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