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Azure Database for PostgreSQL Blog
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June 2023 Recap: Azure Database PostgreSQL Flexible Server

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varun-dhawan
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Jul 10, 2023

Greetings from the Azure Database for PostgreSQL team! As always, we're excited to connect with our community and share the latest product enhancements that have been launched in June 2023. Our vision is to make Azure Database for Flexible Server performance, reliability, and security better than ever, and we believe this month's new features align perfectly with this goal.

 

Feature Highlights of the Month

This June we rolled out some significant updates. Here are a few standout features:

  1. In-Place Major Version Upgrade (generally available)
  2. Restore a dropped server (generally available)
  3. Enhanced connect experience (generally available)
  4. Boosted performance with the latest IO enhancements (generally available)
  5. Storage Auto-grow and Online Disk Resize (preview)

 

Let's delve into the details of each of these enhancements.

  1. In-Place Major Version Upgrade (generally available)
    We were thrilled to announce the General Availability of the In-Place Major Version Upgrade feature for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server. This feature greatly simplifies the traditionally complex and time-consuming process of upgrading to a higher major PostgreSQL version. The new upgrade process eliminates the need for data migration, reduces downtime, and keeps the existing server name and settings intact. This means there's no need to change application connection strings, and you can avoid the extra cost and effort of setting up new servers. With the built-in pre-check and automatic backup, this process ensures a smooth and reliable upgrade experience. Whether you're upgrading from the Azure portal or using the Azure CLI, this major version upgrade feature offers a streamlined process and numerous benefits for your business.

 

Azure-Postgres-Flexible-Server: Major Version Upgrade (MVU)

 

 

 

  1. Restore a dropped server (generally available): A new feature has been added to the Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible server offering that enables the restoration of dropped servers. When a server is dropped, its backup remains available for five days, during which it can be restored from the original Azure subscription (with the same or different name). The restoration process requires filtering the Activity Log for the delete operation, gathering specific attributes, and using the PostgreSQL Create Server REST API. It's essential to keep in mind the five-day time limit for restoration, after which the backup will be inaccessible. Specific instructions are provided for dropped VNET-enabled servers. To prevent accidental deletion, it's highly recommended to use Resource Locks. This feature enhances data security and provides a recovery option for unintentional server drops.

Restore a dropped Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible server

 

 

  1. Enhanced connect experience (generally available): The re-designed connect experience in Azure Portal offers a streamlined approach for connecting, exporting, importing, benchmarking, and managing databases. With the use of environment variables, users can now seamlessly connect to databases using PostgreSQL utilities. You no longer need to be concerned about the syntax for pg_dump and pg_restore; instead, you can just use the ready-made code snippets from the Azure portal. Furthermore, for database performance evaluations, a pre-made, copy-and-paste pgbench snippet is available, complete with your server connection details. This snippet can be easily applied in any bash terminal, making your task more straightforward. The revamped connect experience also includes detailed guidance on using pgAdmin 4 and DBeaver to manage databases, including creating and configuring new connections, and managing objects. Key pointers are provided to avoid potential connection issues, such as ensuring client IP addresses are allowed in the firewall settings of the Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server. The re-design promises improved user experience and streamlines database operations.

 

Azure-Postgres-Flexible-Server: Database connect experience

 

 

 

  1. Boosted performance with the latest IO enhancements (generally available): We are excited to introduce a new enhancement to your Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server experience. As a part of our continuous commitment to service improvement, the Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is now a default feature. Currently available for managed disks of less than 4 terabytes, RDMA ensures faster, direct data transfer between memories when accessing data and logs (WAL) storage, bypassing the operating system. This increased efficiency not only speeds up read and write operations but also reduces operation completion times by lowering CPU usage. As a result, you can now manage your data-intensive workloads and high-performance applications with greater efficiency and effectiveness, saving you valuable time and resources.

 

Transactions Per Second (TPS) Performance Improvement Graph using Pgbench Benchmarking Tool.

 

 

 

  1. Storage Auto-grow and Online Disk Resize (preview): The Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server has introduced two new features: Storage Auto-grow and Online Disk Resize, now available in public preview. The Storage Auto-grow feature allows your server's storage to automatically expand when it reaches certain usage thresholds, effectively mitigating the risk of your server becoming read-only due to insufficient storage. This feature aligns your storage capacity with the growth of your database, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The Online Disk Resize enhancement allows for most disk resize operations without server restarts, thereby enabling seamless scalability of your PostgreSQL Flexible Server. These features are designed to improve storage management, ensuring your databases adapt efficiently to increasing data volumes. For more details, please refer blog post - Storage Autogrow and Online Disk Scaling.

 

Azure-Postgres-Flexible-Server: Storage auto-grow

 

 

 

New Minor Version Support

 

Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server is now updated to include the latest minor versions PostgreSQL 15.2 (preview), 14.7, 13.10, 12.14, and 11.19. With these updates, users gain access to remedies for identified security vulnerabilities from earlier PostgreSQL versions, improved performance, and bug fixes For a detailed summary of this release, please refer to the official PostgreSQL community announcement.

In Azure Database for PostgreSQL, minor version upgrades are seamlessly integrated as part of the monthly scheduled maintenance, ensuring your databases always benefit from the latest improvements and without any manual intervention. For a more details, refer Scheduled maintenance in Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server.

 

Conclusion

 

In conclusion, the June 2023 updates for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server bring a range of exciting features. The In-Place Major Version Upgrade simplifies the process of upgrading to higher PostgreSQL versions, while the Restore a Dropped Server protects from accidental changes and offers a recovery option. The Enhanced Connect experience streamlines database management, providing improved usability. The Boosted Performance IO Enhancements introduce Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) for faster data transfer, improving efficiency and reducing operation completion times. Lastly, the support for new minor versions ensures users can benefit from security fixes and performance enhancements, introduced by the PostgreSQL community. These updates empower users to optimize their PostgreSQL deployments and achieve their business goals efficiently. Thank you for taking the time to stay updated with the recent developments in Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server. We're excited to see how these features will assist you in achieving your goals.

 

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Updated Jun 04, 2024
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