Getting Started with PostgreSQL in the Cloud

It is a PostgreSQL relational database run in a cloud environment with the aim of providing many of the same benefits as cloud computing, including increased speed, improved scalability, greater agility and reduced costs.

PostgreSQL cloud databases are typically available in five deployment models:

• Virtual machine

  PostgreSQL can be installed on virtual machines in cloud environments, providing more control over the database server and its environment. This method is suitable for users who require custom configurations not supported by fully managed services.

• Hybrid

  PostgreSQL can be deployed in a hybrid environment, with some components managed on-premises and others in the cloud. This can be useful for organizations that need to keep sensitive data on-premises for compliance reasons while still benefiting from the scalability of the cloud.

• Containerized

  PostgreSQL can be deployed in containerized environments using Kubernetes, which provides high availability, failover, and other cluster operations. EDB Postgres Distributed for Kubernetes is one example where PostgreSQL is deployed using a Kubernetes operator.

• Database as a Service (DBaaS)

  These full managed services handle most database management tasks, such as installation, maintenance, and upgrades. This allows users to focus more on their applications rather than database operations. Examples include EDB BigAnimal, Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL and Azure Database for PostgreSQL.

PostgreSQL cloud databases offer advanced security and compliance features expected of a modern cloud service, including:

• Data encryption

  All data is encrypted in transit and at rest, using TLS 1.2 or higher for network traffic and AES-256 for data at rest, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.

• Access controls

  Granular access control is implemented using SSO and RBAC policies, managing user access and permissions to enhance security.

• Compliance

  Many providers ensure compliance with critical standards and regulations like SOC2 Type I and II, PCI and GDPR, which is crucial for organizations with specific regulatory requirements.

• Network isolation

  Network isolation provides an additional layer of protection from unauthorized access, which is critical in preventing potential cyberattacks.

• High availability and disaster recovery

  Many services offer up to 99.99% availability in disaster recovery scenarios as part of their SLA, ensuring databases remain operational and minimizing downtime and data loss.

• Monitoring and support

  24/7 monitoring and support are standard, ensuring prompt identification and resolution of security issues, which is essential for maintaining database integrity and security.

Adopting PostgreSQL databases provides the opportunity to avoid vendor lock-in scenarios for a variety of reasons, including:

• Multi-cloud support

  Leading Postgres solutions operate across multiple cloud service providers (CSPs), including AWS, Azure, and GCP, allowing users to deploy PostgreSQL databases in a cloud-native environment without being tied to a single provider.

• Access controls

  Granular access control is implemented using SSO and RBAC policies, managing user access and permissions to enhance security.

• Open source compatibility

  PostgreSQL's open source nature helps avoid proprietary technology lock-in, allowing users to benefit from flexibility and community support even when using a managed service.

• Flexible deployment options

  To help avoid vendor lock-in, managed Postgres database solutions should provide users with the option to deploy their own open source database in their preferred CSP environment or a hybrid/multi-cloud environment. This keeps data isolated and under user control, reducing dependency on any single cloud vendor.

• Standardized tooling

  Some solutions, like BigAnimal, are integrated with standard cloud tools and provide a consistent user interface across CSPs, reducing the learning curve and dependency on specific vendor tools, making it easier to switch providers if needed.

That said, although users are theoretically not locked in to a particular CSP, they can find themselves practically locked in without certain vendor-agnostic features mentioned above. For example, users may be forced to use a CSP-specific API to provision databases, impacting efficiency and flexibility.

The choice of cloud model for hosting PostgreSQL databases depends on your organization's specific needs and goals. The advantages of each of the five models are as follows:

• Private cloud (on-premise or remote)

  Private clouds give organizations full control to customize their infrastructure to meet specific performance, security, or regulatory needs. They provide enhanced security since resources aren't shared, which is crucial for handling sensitive data or strict compliance. Costs are also more predictable, usually fixed based on capacity rather than variable usage, which helps with budgeting and planning.

• Public cloud

  Public clouds offer scalability, allowing PostgreSQL databases to easily scale up or down based on demand. They're cost-effective for variable workloads with a pay-as-you-go model, and provide access to a wide ecosystem of integrated services and innovative tools to enhance database functionality.

• Hybrid cloud

  Hybrid clouds combine the advantages of both private and public clouds, keeping sensitive data on-premises while leveraging public cloud scalability for non-sensitive applications. This mitigates single points of failure, ensures higher availability and helps meet regulatory requirements.

• Multi cloud

  Using multiple clouds can prevent vendor lock-in, allowing organizations to choose the best services and pricing from different providers. This approach optimizes operations, reduces downtime risks, and enhances business resilience by not relying on a single cloud provider.

• Polycloud

  Polycloud lets organizations use specialized services from different providers when their unique capabilities are best for specific PostgreSQL management tasks. This harnesses each provider's strengths for efficiency, performance, and a competitive edge. For instance, one cloud could be used to gather and process IoT data, while another handles complex analytics.

Yes, most PostgreSQL cloud databases offer automatic scaling, a feature that dynamically adjusts resources based on workload demands. This capability ensures optimal performance while maintaining cost efficiency, making it easier for developers to manage and scale their databases without manual intervention.

Cloud providers generally ensure data durability and availability through a range of backup and recovery features. These include automated backups, which regularly create snapshots of your database; point-in-time recovery, which allows you to restore your database to a specific timestamp; and streamlined replication setups, which enable easy creation of database replicas for high availability and disaster recovery purposes.

PostgreSQL cloud databases can match or surpass on-premise deployments, depending on the configuration and the cloud provider's infrastructure.

Cloud-based deployments allow developers to dynamically adjust performance settings and scale resources to optimize application performance. However, they remain vulnerable to factors like network connectivity and multi-tenant workloads, which can impact performance.

To ensure a successful migration, developers should assess their performance needs, evaluate the provider's SLAs and infrastructure, and thoroughly test the chosen configuration.

Many cloud providers offer various tools and services to simplify the migration of existing databases to the cloud.

For example, EDB’s Migration Portal assesses Oracle database compatibility with EDB Postgres Advanced Server (EPAS), while the EDB Migration Toolkit helps migrate smaller databases from Oracle, PostgreSQL, or EPAS to BigAnimal.

More sophisticated migrations can leverage tools like EDB Replication Server, which is an asynchronous replication system that enables data replication between PostgreSQL databases or from non-PostgreSQL databases to PostgreSQL.

Most DBaaS products offer a comprehensive set of security features, including automatic encryption for data at rest and in transit, support for customer-managed encryption keys, database authentication via Cloud IAM, network access controls through VPC and configurable firewall settings.

That said, while many DBaaS providers adhere to security standards and privacy regulations like SOC, PCI, GDPR, and HIPAA, organizations with highly sensitive data or stringent compliance needs may find the lack of direct control over data storage and management in DBaaS challenging.