sudo drush ard -v --destination=sites/default/files/sitearchive.tgz

Initialized Drupal 7.39 root directory at /var/www/drupal                                                                                                                 [notice]
Initialized Drupal site default at sites/default                                                                                                                          [notice]
php /usr/share/php/drush/drush.php  --backend=2 --verbose --root=/var/www/drupal --uri=http://default  sql-conf   --all 2>&1                                              [notice]
Executing: tar  --exclude "drupal/sites" --dereference -cf /var/www/drupal/sites/default/files/drupal.20161018_203926.tar drupal
Executing: tar  --dereference -rf /var/www/drupal/sites/default/files/drupal.20161018_203926.tar drupal/sites/all
Executing: tar --dereference -rf /var/www/drupal/sites/default/files/drupal.20161018_203926.tar drupal/sites/README.txt
Executing: tar --dereference -rf /var/www/drupal/sites/default/files/drupal.20161018_203926.tar drupal/sites/example.sites.php
Executing: mysqldump --result-file /tmp/drush_tmp_1476823166_5806887e850ef/drupal.sql --no-autocommit --single-transaction --opt -Q  drupal --host=xxxxxx.ceiixl6nbq74.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com --port=3306 --user=xxxxxxx --password='xxxxxxxxx'
Database dump failed.                                                                                                                                                  [error]
Command dispatch complete

sudo drush status
 Drupal version                  :  7.39
 Site URI                        :  http://default
 Database driver                 :  mysql
 Database hostname               :  xxxxx.ceiixl6nbq74.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com
 Database username               :  xxxxx
 Database name                   :  xxxxx
 Database                        :  Connected
 Drupal bootstrap                :  Successful
 Drupal user                     :  Anonymous
 Default theme                   :  mytheme
 Administration theme            :  mytheme
 PHP configuration               :  /etc/php5/cli/php.ini
 Drush version                   :  5.10.0
 Drush configuration             :
 Drupal root                     :  /var/www/drupal
 Site path                       :  sites/default
 File directory path             :  sites/default/files
 Temporary file directory path   :  /tmp