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Installation and management of PostgreSQL database on self-controlled infrastructure

Core Idea: Self-hosting PostgreSQL involves installing, configuring, and maintaining a PostgreSQL database server on owned or rented infrastructure, providing full control over performance, configuration, and costs compared to managed database services.

Key Elements

• Setup Process

  • Operating system preparation and package installation
  • Database initialization and configuration
  • User and role management
  • Database creation and schema setup
  • Network configuration for remote access
  • Authentication method configuration
  • Backup system implementation
  • Monitoring setup

• Performance Optimization

  • Hardware resource allocation (CPU, RAM, storage)
  • PostgreSQL configuration parameters (postgresql.conf)
  • Query optimization and indexing strategy
  • Connection pooling implementation
  • Vacuum and maintenance scheduling
  • Storage configuration and I/O optimization
  • Memory allocation for various operations

• Maintenance Tasks

  • Regular backups and verification
  • Software updates and security patches
  • Database vacuuming and analysis
  • Log management and rotation
  • Storage capacity planning
  • Performance monitoring
  • Replication setup (if needed)
  • Disaster recovery planning

• Implementation Example

  # Installation on Ubuntu/Debian
  sudo apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib
  
  # Create user and database
  sudo -u postgres createuser --interactive
  sudo -u postgres createdb mydatabase
  
  # Install extensions (e.g., pgvector)
  sudo -u postgres psql -d mydatabase -c "CREATE EXTENSION pgvector;"
  
  # Import existing data
  psql -U username -d mydatabase < dump.sql
  
  # Configure for remote access (if needed)
  # Edit postgresql.conf and pg_hba.conf
  

- **Cost Comparison**
    - Self-hosted on VPS: ~€10/month for 4 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 80GB storage
    - Cloud SQL equivalent: ~€50/month for 1 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 100GB storage
    - Performance often better on self-hosted with equivalent or lower cost
    - No per-operation or per-query charges
    - Predictable cost scaling

## Connections

- **Related Concepts**: PostgreSQL (database system), Database Migration (transition process), Database Backups (maintenance procedure)
- **Broader Context**: Cloud vs Self-hosting Tradeoffs (decision framework), Database Administration (skill domain)
- **Applications**: Cloud to VPS Migration (implementation scenario), High-Performance OLTP (use case)
- **Components**: pgvector (extension), PostgreSQL Replication (advanced feature)

## References

1. PostgreSQL installation documentation: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/installation.html
2. Example migration from Cloud SQL: https://github.com/galeone/fitsleepinsights

#postgresql #self-hosting #database #administration

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**Connections:**
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**Sources:**
- From: Getting back to the EU from Google Cloud to Self-Hosted EU Infrastructure