Overview of OCI Database with PostgreSQL

The OCI Database with PostgreSQL service and documentation use the following concepts.

OCI database optimized storage

• Decoupled storage that scales independently of Compute resources
• Efficient, dynamic storage management
• Cost effective, high performance read scaling

The result is that you only pay for what you need.

database system

A PostgreSQL database cluster running on one or more OCI VM Compute instances. A database system provides an interface enabling the management of tasks such as provisioning, backup and restore, monitoring, and so on. Each database system has one endpoint for read/write PSQL queries and can have multiple endpoints for read-only queries.

node

A VM Compute instance where a database instance runs. One primary node is required. Other nodes act as read replicas.

configuration

A set of variables used to tune or optimize a database. Default, optimized variables are set when you create a database system. Values can be adjusted and saved as a custom list, which can be applied to other database systems.

regional volume

A Block Volume that synchronously replicates data across availability domains within multi-AD regions.

read replica

A read replica is a node in the database system that can server read queries. A read replica uses shared storage, which doesn't require additional copies of the PostgreSQL database. Any read replica node can be promoted to the primary node.

The OCI Database with PostgreSQL service provides the following features:

dynamically scaling storage

As database tables are created and dropped, storage scales dynamically, without any downtime. This eases burden and optimizes storage spend. You only pay for the storage that you use.

high availability

OCI Database with PostgreSQL is designed for high availability when using multiple nodes. Failover is nearly instantaneous. For more information, see High Availability and Business Continuity.

automated backups

You can set schedules for automated backups of a database system. Backups can be scheduled to be created daily, weekly, and monthly. Automatic backups have a retention period of up to 35 days. If you need to keep a backup longer, you can also create a backup manually.

scheduled maintenance

You can select a maintenance schedule so that patching or maintenance doesn't occur during peak activity. For more information, see Maintenance.

This documentation is intended for PostgreSQL administrators and assumes familiarity with PostgreSQL and its related tools. For more information, see the PostgreSQL reference manual.

Each service in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure integrates with IAM for authentication and authorization for management of OCI resources, for all interfaces (the Console, SDK or CLI, and REST API).

An administrator in your organization needs to set up groups, compartments , and policies  that control which users can access which services, and which resources, and the type of access they have. For example, policies control who can create users, groups, and compartments, or who can create and manage virtual deployments.

• If you're a new administrator, see Getting Started with Policies.
• For details about writing policies for this service, see OCI Database with PostgreSQL Policies.
• For details about writing policies for resources in other services, see Policy Reference.

You can access OCI Database with PostgreSQL resources by using the Console (a browser-based interface), Oracle Cloud Infrastructure CLI, or REST APIs. To access the Console, you must use a supported browser.

Instructions for all three methods are included throughout this guide.

• The OCI Console is an easy-to-use, browser-based interface. To access the Console, you must use a supported browser.
• The REST APIs provide the most functionality, but require programming expertise. API Reference and Endpoints provide endpoint details and links to the available API reference documents including the OCI Database with PostgreSQL APIs.
• OCI provides SDKs that interact with OCI Database with PostgreSQL.
• The Command Line Interface (CLI) provides both quick access and full functionality without the need for programming.
• To use the OCI CLI or REST APIs, you can either set up your environment, or use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Cloud Shell.
  • To use the CLI or REST APIs in Cloud Shell, sign in to the Console. See Using Cloud Shell and the CLI Command Reference.
  • To install the OCI CLI in your environment, follow the steps in the Install CLI Quickstart.
  • When using REST APIs, refer to REST API documentation and API Reference and Endpoints.

When you sign up for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, a set of service limits is configured for your tenancy. The service limit is the quota or allowance set on a resource. Review the following service limits for OCI Database with PostgreSQL resources.

See Service Limits to learn more about service limits and find instructions for requesting a limit increase. To set compartment-specific limits on a resource or resource family, administrators can use compartment quotas.

For more limitations and considerations for database systems, see Limitations and Considerations.