PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system that uses and extends the SQL language combined with many features that safely store and scale the most complicated data workloads. The origins of PostgreSQL date back to 1986 as part of the POSTGRES project at the University of California at Berkeley and has more than 35 years of active development on the core platform.
PostgreSQL has earned a strong reputation for its proven architecture, reliability, data integrity, robust feature set, extensibility, and the dedication of the open-source community behind the software to consistently deliver performant and innovative solutions. PostgreSQL runs on all major operating systems, has been ACID-compliant since 2001, and has powerful add-ons such as the popular PostGIS geospatial database extender. It is no surprise that PostgreSQL has become the open-source relational database of choice for many people and organization
What are the benefits of using PostgreSQL?
PostgreSQL has a rich history of supporting advanced data types. It supports a level of performance optimization that is common across its commercial database counterparts, like Oracle, MySQL.
PostgreSQL possesses robust feature sets, including tablespaces, asynchronous replication, nested transactions, online/hot backups, and a refined query planner/optimizer. The PostgreSQL community has also developed extensions that extend the functionality of PostgreSQL database. PostgreSQL supports:
- Leading programming languages and protocols, including Python, Java, Perl, .Net, Go, Ruby, C/C++, Tcl, and ODBC.
- International character sets, multi-byte character encodings, and Unicode.
- Most SQL:2008 data types, including INTEGER, NUMERIC, BOOLEAN, CHAR, VARCHAR, DATE, INTER-VAL, and TIMESTAMP.
- Storage of large binary objects, including pictures, sounds, video, and maps.
- Foreign keys, joins, views, triggers, and stored procedures.
PostgreSQL ensures reliable transactions by adhering to ACID properties, which guarantee four key attributes:
- Atomicity: Transactions are treated as a single unit, meaning they either fully succeed or entirely fail. In case of failure, the database remains unchanged.
- Consistency: After each transaction, the database remains in a valid state. All data modifications must comply with existing constraints, triggers, and relationships.
- Isolation: By controlling concurrency, PostgreSQL ensures that transactions occur as if executed sequentially, preventing interference from other concurrent transactions.
- Durability: Once a transaction is committed, it remains intact, even in the event of a system failure, as changes are typically recorded in a write-ahead log (WAL).
PostgreSQL’s robust ACID compliance makes it ideal for applications requiring high reliability, such as financial systems, e-commerce platforms, and enterprise software used by companies of all sizes.
PostgreSQL offers a broad array of powerful features, including:
- Built-in Command-Line Tool: PostgreSQL comes with the powerful psql command-line program, allowing users to execute queries and manage their databases directly.
- Comprehensive Data Type Support: PostgreSQL supports a wide variety of data types, including composite and custom types tailored to specific needs.
- Advanced Database Features: Users can create materialized views, triggers, and stored procedures to enhance performance and automation.
- Custom Functions and Language Integration: PostgreSQL allows users to define custom functions and supports multiple programming languages such as Python, Java, Perl, .Net, Go, and C/C++. Additionally, its native procedural language, PL/pgSQL, enables writing stored procedures and subroutines.
- Granular Security Management: PostgreSQL provides robust security features, allowing role-based access control that can be customized down to the column level. Roles can represent individual users or groups.
- Flexible Indexing Options: PostgreSQL supports various index types and access methods, ensuring efficient data retrieval.
- Schema Support: Optional schemas act like namespaces, enabling the coexistence of objects with identical names within different schemas.
- Internationalization and Search Features: PostgreSQL supports international character sets and offers case-insensitive, accent-insensitive, and full-text search capabilities.
Basic PostgreSQL Support and Services
- Installation & Setup
- We provide seamless installation and initial setup for PostgreSQL on various platforms (Linux, Windows).
- Installation of PostgreSQL on Kubernetes using Zalando and CNPG Operator.
- HA & DR Configuration on Patroni and Kubernetes based PostgreSQL.
- Guidance on configuration best practices for security, performance, and maintainability.
- Database Design & Modeling
- Assistance in designing efficient and scalable database schemas.
- Data modeling to ensure relational integrity, normalization, and optimization.
- Basic SQL Query Support
- Support in writing simple SQL queries for CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete).
- Query optimization for enhanced performance on smaller datasets.
- Backups & Restoration
- Automated backup setup for data protection using pg_dump, pg_basebackup, barman.
- Configure backup on enterprise grade backup services like Commvault and Dell Avamar.
- Full Restoration, point-in-time recovery services to recover data in case of unexpected failures.
- Basic Security Configuration
- Guidance on setting up user privileges, roles and profiles.
- Enabling SSL for secure database connections.
- Data encryption for ensuring data security which includes various encryptions like: Password Encryption, Encryption For Specific Columns,
- Data Partition Encryption, Encrypting Data Across A Network, SSL Host Authentication and Client Side Encryption.
Intermediate PostgreSQL Support and Services
- Performance Tuning & Optimization
- Analyzing and optimizing database performance with tools like EXPLAIN and ANALYZE.
- Index management, query optimizations, and cache tuning.
- Assistance in reducing query response time for medium to large datasets.
- Data Migration & Import/Export
- Assisting in migrating data from other databases (e.g., MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server) to PostgreSQL using tools like Ora2Pg and pgLoader.
- Importing and exporting data efficiently while ensuring minimal downtime.
- Database Maintenance & Health Monitoring
- Regular database health checks and audits.
- Log analysis, database cleanups, and vacuuming (VACUUM) for space recovery.
- Setting up database monitoring tools for proactive issue identification (e.g., pgAdmin, Nagios, Zabbix, Grafana).
- Advanced Security Implementation
- Role-based access controls (RBAC) for enhanced security management.
- Setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) for PostgreSQL access.
- Implementation of auditing logs to monitor access and changes to critical data.
- Replication Setup (Master-Slave or Master-Master)
- Configure Single Master and Multi Master Replication
- Configuring synchronous and asynchronous replication for high availability.
- Configuring Streaming Replication & Logical Replication
- Ensuring consistency and real-time synchronization between databases.
- Stored Procedures & Triggers
- Creation and optimization of stored procedures for encapsulating business logic.
- Developing custom triggers for automating specific database operations.
Advanced PostgreSQL Support and Services
- High Availability & Failover Solutions
- Setting up high availability architectures using technologies like PostgreSQL Streaming Replication, Hot Standby, and Failover Managers (e.g., Patroni, pgpool-II).
- Automating failover processes for minimal downtime in production environments.
- Using Operator based PostgreSQL on Kubernetes to automate failovers and ensure high availability.
- Sharding & Partitioning for Big Data
- Horizontal and vertical partitioning to manage massive datasets and improve query performance.
- Sharding setups across multiple nodes to ensure scalability for large data workloads.
- PostgreSQL Clustering & Load Balancing
- Advanced clustering setups for distributing workload across multiple database nodes.
- Load balancing configuration to ensure optimal resource utilization and prevent single points of failure.
- PostGIS – Geospatial Data Support
- Implementing PostGIS to manage and analyze spatial and geographical data.
- Custom support for geographic queries, spatial indexing, and geospatial calculations.
- Custom Extensions & Plugins
- Assistance in developing or deploying PostgreSQL extensions such as PL/pgSQL, PL/Python, and PL/Perl.
- Support for third-party extensions (e.g., TimescaleDB for time-series data, Citus for horizontal scaling).
- Full-Text Search and JSONB Support
- Implementing full-text search capabilities to enhance searching within your databases.
- Working with JSONB data types for efficient storage and querying of semi-structured data.
- Data Warehousing & Analytics
- Building data warehousing solutions that leverage PostgreSQL’s analytical functions.
- Creating optimized query strategies for Business Intelligence (BI) tools.
- Disaster Recovery Planning
- Custom disaster recovery (DR) solutions tailored to your business needs.
- Implementation of point-in-time recovery (PITR) and archiving strategies for critical systems.
PostgreSQL Technology Stack We Support
- Database Engines: PostgreSQL 9.x, 10.x, 11.x, 12.x, 13.x, 14.x, 15.x (Latest Version Supported)
- Cloud Solutions: Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, DigitalOcean Managed PostgreSQL, Zalando Operator PG, CNPG Operator PG.
- Database Management Tools: pgAdmin, DBeaver, Navicat, OmniDB
- Monitoring & Optimization Tools: pg_stat_statements, pgBadger, pgTop, Prometheus, Grafana
- Backup & Recovery Tools: pgBackRest, WAL-G, Barman
- Third-Party Extensions: PostGIS, Citus, TimescaleDB, PLV8, pgAudit
Why Choose Cuculus for PostgreSQL Support?
- Official PostgreSQL Partner: We are recognized as official supporters of PostgreSQL, with a deep commitment to the PostgreSQL open-source community.
- Expert Team: Our team comprises certified PostgreSQL experts with years of experience in managing mission-critical databases.
- 24/7 Support: We provide round-the-clock support to ensure your PostgreSQL infrastructure is always up and running.
- Custom Solutions: Every business is unique. We tailor our PostgreSQL services to meet your specific needs, from small startups to large enterprises.
- Proven Track Record: Our clients trust us to handle their data with care, and we have a proven record of delivering robust PostgreSQL solutions.
