Continue reading to grab the fundamentals of Azure PostgreSQL and its primary features
Microsoft’s Azure is a public cloud computing platform that provides services such as cloud computing, analytics, storage, and networking. Users can select which services they require and quickly deploy their applications while scaling them as per their requirements. Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a popular relational database management service. This article will help you get started with Azure PostgreSQL.
What is PostgreSQL
- PostgreSQL is widely known as Postgres as well. It is a relational database management system that is offered as a free, open-source package. It was first developed in 1996 at the University of California, Berkeley. It is continuously updated to include new features and provide bug fixes.
PostgreSQL emphasizes extensibility while being compliant with SQL. It features automatically updatable views, materialized views, foreign keys, triggers, transactions with Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability (ACID) properties, and stored procedures.
- PostgreSQL can handle workloads from single machines to data warehouses and web servers, while multiple users access the database simultaneously. It is the default for macOS Server, while versions are available for Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, and OpenBSD.
What is Azure PostgreSQL
- Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a relational database service in Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure. It offers several benefits such as high availability, automatic backups, up to 35 days of data restoration, automated maintenance, software updates, flexible scalability, best industry security, simplified large-scale deployments, and best support experience.
These benefits are provided as a standard feature; thus, the user is saved from extra fees. These features work automatically; hence, they do not require administration and monitoring. Azure Database for PostgreSQL has an incredibly simplified application deployment process; therefore, it minimizes the user’s time to market.
- The user is saved from allocating time and resources for infrastructure development, deployment, troubleshooting, and management of virtual machines. In addition, it offers seamless integration and migration from other tools and platforms. Thus, users can easily develop their applications using the platforms they are comfortable with and then transfer them to Azure Database for PostgreSQL.
Azure Database for PostgreSQL powered by PostgreSQL community edition has three deployment models which are:
- Single Server
- Flexible Server
- Hyperscale (Citus)
Deployment Models: Single Server
- The single-server deployment model is a fully managed database service with almost zero customization requirements. This single server is designed for minimal user configuration and control to handle a variety of functions such as backups, patching, availability, and security.
On a single availability zone, the architecture is optimized to provide 99.99% availability. It works best with the community version of PostgreSQL 9.5,9.6,10, and 11. Single server deployment is generally available across all Azure regions.
- The single server has three pricing options; Basic, General Purpose, and Memory Optimized. Since Azure Database for PostgreSQL offers flexible scaling options, users can build their application on a small database and scale it according to their needs.
Users only pay for the resources they need and when they use them. Therefore, single servers are highly recommended for cloud-native applications with automated patching that does not require user customizations and control.
Deployment Models: Flexible Server
- The flexible server deployment model is also a fully managed database service. However, it offers users more granular control over their database customizations, configurations, and management. This service provides customizations based on user requirements.
The server architecture is highly flexible and provides users the option for high availability within a single availability zone and across multiple availability zones. It offers better cost efficiency by allowing a start/stop server and burstable compute tier.
- These features are ideal for workloads that don’t require a continuous full-compute capacity. The flexible server supports the community version of PostgreSQL 11, 12, and 13. It is generally available in most Azure regions.
Flexible servers are highly recommended for users that require cost-efficiency features, control and customizations for application developments, and a managed maintenance service.
Deployment Models: Hyperscale (Citus)
This deployment model utilizes sharding to horizontally scale queries across multiple machines. It can work on large datasets providing faster responses using its query engine. This engine parallelizes incoming SQL queries across multiple machines.
The Hyperscale deployment is best suited for workloads that exceed 100GB of data. This option offers sharding (horizontal scaling), query parallelization, real-time analytics, and high performance for large workloads.
- Henson Group is one of the most qualified managed service providers (MSP) for Microsoft’s Azure services. We have a strong global network and can help you get started with Azure. If you are considering using Azure Database for PostgreSQL, then get in touch with us.