A method and system for automatically scaling out read operations in an automated self-scaling database system are provided. An automated self-scaling database module analyzes telemetry information from a primary database and a first standby database to determine whether there is the need for upscaling storage capacity and computation resources of the database system for read operations. When upscaling is needed, a snapshot of the first standby database is taken and stored at a snapshot storage system. The snapshot is a complete copy of data stored in a storage system of the first standby database at a given time. Upscaling is then automatically initiated by provisioning a new standby database by automatically provisioning a new virtual machine (VM) and a new storage system for the new standby database, and then restoring the snapshot that was taken from the snapshot storage system to the new standby database.