About PostgreSQL Plugin

PostgreSQL Plugin provides protection and proactively monitors the PostgreSQL Server environment’s, configuration data, services, and application data files.

Supported Versions and Platforms

• PostgreSQL supported versions and features:
  • EnterpriseDB PostgreSQL and BigSQL PostgreSQL certified versions of 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 10.x  deployed on any of the following operating systems (where compatible, as indicated in the PostgreSQL release notes):
    
    • Windows Server 2008 R2
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2012 R2
    • Windows Server 2016

Install/Uninstall the PostgreSQL Plugin Via the Neverfail Advanced Management Client

The PostgreSQL Plugin can be installed either via the Neverfail CE deployment process or by using Application -> Plugins in the Neverfail Advanced Management Client using the procedure below. Neverfail recommends that for initial deployments of PostgreSQL Plugin, installation should be performed using Engine Management Service.

To manually install the PostgreSQL Plugin, follow the steps below:

1. Unzip the PostgreSQL Plugin to the desired location.
2. Launch the Neverfail Advanced Management Client.
3. Navigate to Application -> Plugins .
4. Click on the Install 
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the location of the <plug-in name>.dll 
6. Click OK to complete the installation.
7. Repeat this process for each individual plug-in.

To remove/uninstall the PostgreSQL Plugin, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Neverfail Advanced Management Client.
2. Navigate to Application -> Plugins .
3. Select the desired plug-in to be removed/uninstalled.
4. Click on the Uninstall button in the 'Plugins' pane.
5. When the plug-in is uninstalled, the files are not removed. This is by design for future functionality and therefore the following workaround is provided:

• Copy the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> folder to a different location (e.g. C:\temp).
• Delete the contents of the r2\plugins\<sponsor>\<version> 
• To reinstall the plug-in, when prompted for the location of the plug-in files, navigate to the new folder location (e.g. C:\temp).

Note: As an alternative, reinstallation can be accomplished by using the downloaded files from the original download location after removing the plug-in.

Monitoring

PostgreSQL Plugin monitoring consists of the following:

• Service Availability Monitoring
• Application Monitoring 
• Database File Monitoring and Replication
• Performance Monitoring

Service Availability Monitoring

Neverfail Engine monitors services specified by the plug-ins to ensure application availability. In the event that a specified service stops or fails, Neverfail Engine can take up to three pre-configured actions to remedy the issue.

When the plug-in is installed, all protected services will be set to manual unless otherwise stated.

This is the list of all services protected by this plug-in:

• EnterpriseDB installers:
  • postgresql-x64-<Version> (default)
• BigSQL installers:
  • PostgreSQL <Version> Server

Application Monitoring

Tasks - The following 'Tasks' are installed by PostgreSQL Plugin:

• Periodic
  • Protected Services Discovery
  • File Filter Discovery
  • Registry Filter Discovery

To configure/modify Periodic 'Tasks', follow the steps below:

1. Using the Neverfail Advanced Management Client, click on Application -> Tasks .
2. Select the desired 'Task'.
3. Click on the Edit button at the top of the 'Tasks' pane.
4. Configure/modify the 'Interval' field.

Note: 'Interval' is the only field available for configuration/modification and is measured in seconds.

5. Click OK to save the changes.

Note: This dialog is also used to Enable/Disable the selected 'Task'.

Database File Monitoring and Replication

When the PostgreSQL Plugin is installed, it will determine all current installations of PostgreSQL, their corresponding services and their locations for database files. It will also determine the configuration, application and user data associated with PostgreSQL application. These files will be protected, i.e. their contents will be synchronized, and subsequent updates replicated to the passive server.

Performance Monitoring

PostgreSQL Plugin defines the following application performance monitoring rules:

• Process Instance
  • IO Data Operations Per Sec
    • Shows the rate at which the process is issuing read and write I/O operations. This counter counts all I/O activity generated by the process to include file, network and device I/O's. Default trigger condition: IO Data Operations/Sec >1000
    • The number of rule instances (#) created is equal with the number of PostgreSQL instances
    • Configuration parameters: instance counter, number of I/O's / sec (threshold), interval, duration, failure action

• Database instance - for each database instance the following rules are created:
  • Maximum connections
    
    • Shows the number of currently connections to the server. Default trigger condition: database connection to the server exceeds {90}% (maximum) of the total number of connections
    • Configuration parameters: threshold percentage, connection details - server, port, database, user/password, interval, failure actions
  • Cache Hit Rate
    
    • Default trigger condition: Cache Hit Rate < {95}% (default)
    • Configuration parameters: threshold percentage, connection details (server, port, database, user/password), interval, failure actions
  • Index Cache Hit Rate
    
    • Default trigger condition: Cache Hit Rate < {95}% (default)
    • Configuration parameters: threshold percentage, connection details (server, port, database, user/password), interval, failure actions
  • Database size
    
    • Default trigger condition: monitored_database size > 20 GB (default). Possible values are byte, kilobyte (KB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB) and terabyte (TB).
    • Configuration parameters: database name, threshold size, connection details (server, port, database, user/password), interval, failure actions

Applies To

PostgreSQL Plugin v201.5.1