A modern approach to IT observability inspired by hazard analysis. Learn how to improve system reliability, reduce monitoring complexity, and proactively manage service risks through Critical Control Points.
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Part 6: Prevention and Monitoring Strategies
PostgreSQL’s autovacuum is a silent guardian until it fails. In this final post of our autovacuum series, we tackle two often-overlooked scenarios that can lead to database downtime: temp tables in multi-database clusters and lingering sessions with temp tables. Learn practical prevention tactics and monitoring strategies to keep your cluster safe from XID wraparound and emergency shutdowns.
Part 5: Temp Tables and XID Wraparound in Single-DB Clusters
Even in single-database setups, temp tables can quietly lead to major problems. In this post, we break down how long-lived temp tables contribute to XID wraparound risk, why PostgreSQL shuts down to protect against it, and what proactive steps you can take to avoid unexpected downtime.
Part 4: Debugging Limitations in RDS and Cloud Environments
Part 4 of our PostgreSQL Autovacuum Failure Series explores how session-level temp tables in RDS can silently stall autovacuum—and how we resolved it. Learn why monitoring and visibility are critical in managed cloud environments.
PgManage 1.3 Release: Powerful New Features and Enhanced Usability
PgManage 1.3 is here with major updates including a redesigned dashboard UI, JSON export, code folding, PostgreSQL 17 support, and more. This release focuses on usability, performance, and cross-database compatibility, enhancing your workflow whether you're using PostgreSQL, MariaDB, MySQL, or others.
Part 3: Why Autovacuum Stops — PostgreSQL Internal Mechanics Explained
Series Summary: This is Part 3 of a multi-part series on PostgreSQL autovacuum failures.
In Part 2, we reproduced the autovacuum failure issue — now let’s understand why it happens. This post dives into PostgreSQL internals, explaining how autovacuum allocates its resources and why certain databases get “stuck” in maintenance limbo.
Why Does This Occur?
This behavior stems from how the autovacuum daemon allocates its resources. Autovacuum identifies the …
Part 2: Reproducing and Diagnosing Autovacuum Failures
Series Summary: This is Part 2 of a multi-part series on PostgreSQL autovacuum failures.
In Part 1, we introduced the scenario where autovacuum mysteriously halts in a multi-database PostgreSQL cluster. Now, we’ll reproduce the issue using a lightweight test setup. This walkthrough will help you see the failure in action and understand how quickly your system can degrade.
How to Reproduce the Problem (and Watch PostgreSQL Go Sideways)
Let’s …
Part 1: When Autovacuum Silently Fails Across Databases
This blog series examines PostgreSQL autovacuum failures, focusing on temp tables and multi-database edge cases that cause bloat, slowdowns, or XID wraparound risks in complex environments.
pg_dump Gets a Speed Boost in PostgreSQL 18
An interesting micro optimization for pg_dump is coming in PostgreSQL 18.
The Freedom to Choose: Why Vendor-Neutral Consulting Matters
Background
On a recent call, a potential client shared their frustrations with the high costs and limitations of their managed services cloud platform. While reaching out to potential support providers, they often encountered companies that only supported PostgreSQL's community edition or pushed their closed-source editions. This experience highlighted the need for a consulting partner who takes a vendor-neutral approach.
Command Prompt prides itself on integrity, discipline, and excellence. We’re straight …