PostgreSQL Training – Administration & Operation

The foundation for secure PostgreSQL operation: In this training, you will acquire the core competencies to independently set up, secure, and maintain PostgreSQL databases in production. From installation to backup and replication, monitoring, and upgrades — taught by consultants who operate PostgreSQL daily for clients.

Your learning objective in the course

After the training, you will understand the structure of a PostgreSQL server and know which parameters to adjust and why. You will set up a robust backup strategy and have practiced the restore yourself, rather than just trusting it. You will configure physical replication, be able to specifically analyze log files, and plan a major upgrade without taking risks. In short: you will operate PostgreSQL according to the state of the art, instead of leaving a standard installation to chance.

Key information

Target Audience:
Administrators, DevOps teams, and developers who want to operate PostgreSQL themselves in the future or put an existing installation on a secure footing.

Prerequisites:
Basic knowledge of Linux administration and command-line security. SQL knowledge is helpful but not required.

Trainer:
The training is conducted live by consultants from our PostgreSQL® Competence Center — by people who operate PostgreSQL on behalf of clients and are active in the PostgreSQL community.

Rooted in PostgreSQL Education:
credativ is a member of the Open Alliance for PostgreSQL Education (OAPE). Our technical director for databases contributed to the development of the examination requirements. The content of this course is based on what is actually needed in professional operations.

Certificate:
You will receive a certificate of attendance from credativ GmbH.

Detailed Training Content

1. Introduction to PostgreSQL: Classification, versioning scheme and release cycle, how the community works, and what that means for your operations.
2. Installation and Commissioning: Package sources, creating and managing instances, directory structure, and file system layout.
3. The psql Command-Line Client: Meta-commands, efficient work in the shell, and scripting for recurring tasks.
4. Configuration and Initial Settings: The parameters that truly matter, sensible default values, and how changes are safely applied.
5. Architecture Overview: Process model, memory areas, Write-Ahead Log, and MVCC — the understanding upon which all other topics are built.
6. Dump and Restore: Logical backups, the different formats, and the limitations of this method.
7. User and Rights Management: Role concept, privileges, and schemas — granting rights without slowing down operations.
8. Connection Control: Access rules, authentication methods, and encrypted connections.
9. Physical Backups and pgBackRest: Base backups, WAL archiving, and Point-in-Time Recovery — including how to regularly test your restore.
10. Physical Replication: Setting up streaming replication, operating standby systems, and recognizing typical pitfalls.
11. Overview of High Availability Solutions: Common approaches compared, with criteria for selection in your environment.
12. Logging and Log File Analysis: Sensible configuration, targeted analysis, and finding problems before they become apparent in operation.
13. Minor and Major Version Upgrades: Procedures, planning of maintenance windows, and how to minimize risk.
14. Monitoring: The key metrics, database statistics views, and integration with existing monitoring systems.
15. Helpful Extensions and External Projects: Which extensions have proven effective in operation and what to consider when choosing.

Prefer an in-house training?

We have been training PostgreSQL teams at large users for years — mostly as individual training, tailored to the existing environment. If you want to train several people or introduce your own topics: contact us, we will put together the course accordingly.