Chapter 1: First Steps
Introduction
Introducing PostgreSQL 9
Getting PostgreSQL
Connecting to PostgreSQL server
Enabling access for network/remote users
Using graphical administration tools
Using psql query and scripting tool
Changing your password securely
Avoiding hardcoding your password
Using a connection service file
Troubleshooting a failed connection
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Chapter 2: Exploring the Database
Introduction
What version is the server?
What is the server uptime?
Locate the database server files
Locate the database server message log
List databases on this database server?
How many tables in a database?
How much disk space does a database use?
How much disk space does a table use?
Which are my biggest tables?
How many rows in a table?
Quick estimate of the number of rows in a table
Understanding object dependencies
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Chapter 3: Configuration
Introduction
Reading the Fine Manual (RTFM)
Planning a new database
Changing parameters in your programs
What are the current configuration settings?
Which parameters are at non-default settings?
Updating the parameter file
Setting parameters for particular groups of users
Basic server configuration checklist
Adding an external module to PostgreSQL
Running server in power saving mode
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Chapter 4: Server Control
Introduction
Starting the database server manually
Stopping the server safely and quickly
Stopping the server in an emergency
Reloading the server configuration files
Restarting the server quickly
Preventing new connections
Restricting users to just one session each
Pushing users off the system
Deciding on a design for multi-tenancy
Using multiple schemas
Giving users their own private database
Running multiple servers on one system
Set up a Connection Pool
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Chapter 5: Tables & Data
Introduction
Choosing good names for database objects
Handling objects with quoted names
Enforcing same name, same column definition
Identifying and removing duplicates
Preventing duplicate rows
Finding a unique key for a set of data
Generating test data
Randomly sampling data
Loading data from a spreadsheet
Loading data from flat files
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Chapter 6: Security
Introduction
Revoking user access to a table
Granting user access to a table
Creating a new user
Temporarily preventing a user from connecting
Removing a user without dropping their data
Checking all users have a secure password
Giving limited superuser powers to specific users
Auditing DDL changes
Auditing data changes
Integrating with LDAP
Connecting using SSL
Encrypting sensitive data
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Chapter 7: Database Administration
Introduction
Writing a script that either all succeeds or all fails
Writing a psql script that exits on first error
Performing actions on many tables
Adding/Removing the columns of a table
Changing datatype of a column
Adding/Removing schemas
Moving objects between schemas
Adding/Removing tablespaces
Moving objects between tablespaces
Accessing objects in other PostgreSQL databases
Making views updateable
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Chapter 8: Monitoring and Diagnosis
Introduction
Is the user connected?
What are they running?
Are they active or blocked?
Who is blocking them?
Killing a specific session
Resolving an in-doubt prepared transaction
Is anybody using a specific table?
When did anybody last use it?
How much disk space is used by temporary data?
Why are my queries slowing down?
Investigating and reporting a bug
Producing a daily summary of logfile errors
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Chapter 9: Regular Maintenance
Introduction
Controlling automatic database maintenance
Avoiding auto freezing and page corruptions
Avoiding transaction wraparound
Removing old prepared transactions
Actions for heavy users of temporary tables
Identifying and fixing bloated tables and indexes
Maintaining indexes
Finding the unused indexes
Carefully removing unwanted indexes
Planning maintenance
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Chapter 10: Performance & Concurrency
Introduction
Finding slow SQL statements
Collecting regular statistics from pg_stat* views
Finding what makes SQL slow
Reducing the number of rows returned
Simplifying complex SQL
Speeding up queries without rewriting them
Why is my query not using an index?
How do I force a query to use an index
Using optimistic locking
Reporting performance problems
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Chapter 11: Backup & Recovery
Introduction
Understanding and controlling crash recovery
Planning backups
Hot logical backup of one database
Hot logical backup of all databases
Hot logical backup of all tables in a tablespace
Backup of database object definitions
Standalone hot physical database backup
Hot physical backup & Continuous Archiving
Recovery of all databases
Recovery to a point in time
Recovery of a dropped/damaged table
Recovery of a dropped/damaged tablespace
Recovery of a dropped/damaged database
Improving performance of backup/restore
Incremental/Differential backup and restore
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Chapter 12: Replication & Upgrades
Introduction
Understanding replication concepts
Replication best practices
File-based log-shipping replication
Setting up streaming log replication
Managing log shipping replication
Managing Hot Standby
Selective replication using Londiste
Selective replication using Slony 2.0
Load balancing with pgpool-II 3.0
Upgrading (minor)
Major upgrades in-place
Major upgrades online using replication tools