Learn about different cloud environments and the value of modern cloud database services.
Most professionals know cloud computing has changed how technology works, but did you know that your database management system can enjoy the many benefits of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) when you move your data warehouse to the cloud?
A cloud database is a database management system hosted in a cloud computing environment. It allows organizations to store, manage, and access their data in a cloud-native way, providing a flexible and scalable solution for data management. Cloud databases have become increasingly important in leveraging modern applications and services.
On-Premises vs. Cloud Database Management
Traditional databases have been hosted on-premises through legacy services like Oracle or IBM. However, with the rise of cloud computing, organizations can now move their databases to the cloud. This shift offers numerous advantages including increased flexibility, scalability, and reduced infrastructure costs. If you're not ready to completely shift to a cloud database, a hybrid cloud environment can bridge the gap by combining on-premises infrastructure with cloud-based services.
Types of Cloud Environments – Public vs. Private Cloud and More
There are several types of cloud environments relevant to cloud databases. Let's explore some of them:
- Public cloud: A public cloud environment is provided by a third-party cloud service provider such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP). In a public cloud, the infrastructure is shared among multiple users and the provider hosts and manages the cloud database. In a traditional public cloud environment, users rent virtual machines (VMs) or containers from a cloud service provider. They are responsible for managing and configuring these VMs or containers, including provisioning, scaling, and maintenance tasks. Public clouds offer scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.
- Serverless public cloud: In a serverless public cloud environment, organizations can focus on developing applications and managing data while the cloud provider takes care of the underlying infrastructure. This allows for greater efficiency and cost savings as you only pay for the resources you use. It also enables automatic scaling, ensuring that your database can handle fluctuations in workload without manual intervention.
- Private cloud: A private cloud environment is dedicated to a single organization and can be hosted on-premises or by a third-party provider. It offers greater control and security as the organization has exclusive access to the infrastructure. Private clouds are suitable for businesses with stringent security or compliance requirements.
- Hybrid cloud: A hybrid cloud environment combines elements of public and private clouds. It allows organizations to leverage the benefits of both environments by maintaining specific data and applications on-premises while using the cloud for others. A hybrid cloud approach can be useful when transitioning from an on-premises database to the cloud gradually or when needing to keep sensitive data on-premises while utilizing the cloud for less sensitive workloads.
- Multi-cloud: A multi-cloud environment uses multiple cloud service providers simultaneously. It provides flexibility and avoids vendor lock-in by leveraging the strengths and capabilities of different cloud platforms. Organizations may choose to distribute their databases across multiple cloud providers for redundancy, disaster recovery, or taking advantage of specific features offered by each provider.
Benefits of Cloud Databases
Moving to a cloud database management system offers several benefits:
- Disaster recovery: Cloud databases provide built-in backup and replication mechanisms, ensuring that your data is protected and can be quickly recovered in case of unforeseen events.
- Real-time: Cloud databases offer real-time data access and synchronization, enabling faster decision-making and improved collaboration.
- Machine learning: Cloud databases allow you to optimize your data models through quicker iterations to leverage machine learning capabilities for advanced analytics and insights.
- Automation: With cloud databases, you can automate various database configurations and maintenance tasks, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.
- Scalability: Cloud databases provide high scalability, allowing you to quickly scale your database resources up or down based on demand. This ensures high performance and eliminates the need for costly hardware upgrades.
- Flexible workloads: Cloud databases support a wide range of workloads, from transactional to analytical, enabling you to handle diverse data processing requirements.
- High availability with low downtime: Cloud database providers ensure high availability and minimal downtime through redundancy and failover mechanisms, keeping your applications and services accessible to users at all times.
- Affordability: Pricing for cloud database services tends to be lower than traditional on-premises solutions. Additionally, you can optimize costs by paying only for the data storage and resources you need.
Types of Cloud Database Services
Cloud database services can be categorized into two:
- Relational database service (RDS): Relational databases store structured data based on a predefined schema. Examples of relational databases include PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, and MySQL.
- Non-relational cloud databases (NoSQL): Non-relational databases, or NoSQL databases, store and manage unstructured or semi-structured data. Examples include MongoDB, Redis, and Cassandra. These databases offer flexibility and scalability for handling large volumes of data.
Types of Cloud Database Management Services
Once you have a cloud database, you can opt for a virtual machine managed like a traditional database or a provider’s database-as-a-service (DBaaS) that can be accessed through a web portal or API.
- Self-managed cloud database: You maintain more control over your database but your DevOps team is responsible for database management and maintenance.
- Fully managed DBaaS: The cloud database is accessed as a service and runs on the cloud service provider’s physical infrastructure. The provider is responsible for database management and maintenance such as patching.
Selecting a Cloud Database Service Provider
When selecting a cloud database provider, there are several factors to consider. Here are some key considerations:
Compatibility: Ensure that the cloud database provider supports the database management system (DBMS) you use or plan to use. Check for compatibility with various operating systems to ensure seamless integration with your existing infrastructure.
Vendor lock-in: Evaluate the ease of migration and portability if you decide to switch providers. Avoid becoming overly dependent on proprietary technologies or features that may make it challenging to transition to another provider if needed.
Scalability and performance: Evaluate the scalability options provided by the cloud database provider. Can it handle your growing data needs? Look for features like automatic scaling and load balancing to ensure high performance even during peak usage.
Security and compliance: Data security is essential. Assess the security measures and protocols implemented by the cloud database provider. Look for features like encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access control, and regular security audits. Additionally, if your industry has specific compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), ensure the provider meets those standards.
Reliability and availability: Downtime can have severe consequences for your business. Check the provider's track record for uptime and availability. Look for features like data replication and geographic redundancy to ensure high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
Support and service-level agreements (SLAs): Evaluate the support options provided by the cloud database provider. Do they offer 24/7 customer support? What is their average response time? Additionally, review their SLAs to understand the level of service and guarantees they provide.
Pricing and cost: Consider the pricing structure of the cloud database provider. Compare the costs for storage, data transfer, and additional services. Look for transparent pricing models and ensure that the provider's pricing aligns with your budget and anticipated usage.
Integration and ecosystem: Assess the integration capabilities of the cloud database provider with other services and tools in your technology stack. Consider the availability of APIs and connectors and their compatibility with popular frameworks or platforms you use.
Reputation and customer reviews: Research the reputation of the cloud database provider. Read customer reviews and testimonials to get insights into their experiences. Look for providers with a strong track record and positive customer feedback.
By considering these factors and aligning them with your business requirements, you can make an informed decision when selecting a cloud database provider. Remember to thoroughly evaluate multiple options and engage in proof-of-concept trials or pilot projects to assess the provider's suitability for your organization.
It is a PostgreSQL relational database run in a cloud environment that provides benefits similar to cloud computing, including increased speed, improved scalability, greater agility, and reduced costs.
- Virtual machine
PostgreSQL can be installed on virtual machines in cloud environments, providing more control over the database server and its environment. This is for users who require custom configurations not supported by fully managed services. - Hybrid
PostgreSQL can be deployed in a hybrid environment, with some components managed on-premises and others in the cloud. This can be useful for organizations that need to keep sensitive data on-premises for compliance reasons while still benefiting from the scalability of the cloud. - Containerized
PostgreSQL can be deployed in containerized environments using Kubernetes, which provides high availability, failover, and other cluster operations. EDB Postgres Distributed for Kubernetes is one example where PostgreSQL is deployed using a Kubernetes operator. - Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS)
These fully managed services handle most database management tasks, such as installation, maintenance, and upgrades. This allows users to focus more on their applications rather than database operations. Examples include EDB Postgres® AI Cloud Service, Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL, and Azure Database for PostgreSQL.
PostgreSQL cloud databases offer advanced security and compliance features expected of a modern cloud service, including:
- Data encryption
All data is encrypted in transit and at rest, using TLS 1.2 or higher for network traffic and AES-256 for data at rest, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access. - Access controls
Granular access control is implemented using SSO and RBAC policies, managing user access, and permissions to enhance security. - Compliance
Many providers ensure compliance with critical standards and regulations like SOC2 Type I and II, PCI, and GDPR, which is crucial for organizations with specific regulatory requirements. - Network isolation
Network isolation provides an additional layer of protection from unauthorized access, critical in preventing potential cyberattacks. - High availability and disaster recovery
Many services offer up to 99.99% availability in disaster recovery scenarios as part of their SLA, ensuring databases remain operational and minimizing downtime and data loss. - Monitoring and support
24/7 monitoring and support are standard, ensuring prompt identification and resolution of security issues, essential for maintaining database integrity and security.
PostgreSQL databases allow you to avoid vendor lock-in scenarios in several ways, including:
- Multi-cloud support
Leading Postgres solutions operate across multiple cloud service providers (CSPs), including AWS, Azure, and GCP, allowing users to deploy PostgreSQL databases in a cloud-native environment without being tied to a single provider. - Access controls
Granular access control is implemented using SSO and RBAC policies, managing user access and permissions to enhance security. - Open source compatibility
PostgreSQL's open source nature helps avoid proprietary technology lock-in, providing users flexibility and community support even when using a managed service. - Flexible deployment options
To help avoid vendor lock-in, managed Postgres database solutions should allow users to deploy their own open source database in their preferred CSP environment or a hybrid/multi-cloud environment. This keeps data isolated and under user control, reducing dependency on any cloud vendor. - Standardized tooling
Some solutions, like EDB Postgres® AI Cloud Service, are integrated with standard cloud tools and provide a consistent user interface across CSPs, reducing the learning curve and dependency on specific vendor tools, making it easier to switch providers if needed.
That said, although users are theoretically not locked in to a particular CSP, they can find themselves practically locked in without the vendor-agnostic features mentioned above. For example, users may be forced to use a CSP-specific API to provision databases, impacting efficiency and flexibility.
The cloud model for hosting PostgreSQL databases depends on your organization's needs and goals. The advantages of each of the five models are:
- Private cloud (on-premise or remote)
Private clouds allow organizations to fully customize their infrastructure to meet specific performance, security, or regulatory needs. They provide enhanced security since resources are kept private, which is crucial for handling sensitive data or strict compliance. Costs are also more predictable, usually fixed based on capacity rather than variable usage, which helps with budgeting and planning. - Public cloud
Public clouds offer scalability, allowing PostgreSQL databases to quickly scale up or down based on demand. They're cost-effective for variable workloads with a pay-as-you-go model and provide access to a broad ecosystem of integrated services and innovative tools to enhance database functionality. - Hybrid cloud
Hybrid clouds combine the advantages of private and public clouds, keeping sensitive data on-premises while leveraging public cloud scalability for non-sensitive applications. This mitigates single points of failure, ensures higher availability, and helps meet regulatory requirements. - Multi-cloud
Using multiple clouds can prevent vendor lock-in, allowing organizations to choose the best services and pricing from different providers. This approach optimizes operations, reduces downtime risks, and enhances business resilience by not relying on a single cloud provider. - Polycloud
Polycloud lets organizations use specialized services from different providers when their unique capabilities are best for specific PostgreSQL management tasks. This harnesses each provider's strengths for efficiency, performance, and a competitive edge. For instance, one cloud could gather and process IoT data while another handles complex analytics.
Yes, most PostgreSQL cloud databases offer automatic scaling, a feature that dynamically adjusts resources based on workload demands. This capability ensures optimal performance while maintaining cost efficiency, making it easier for developers to manage and scale their databases without manual intervention.
Cloud providers generally ensure data durability and availability through various backup and recovery features. These include automated backups, which regularly create snapshots of your database; point-in-time recovery, which allows you to restore your database to a specific timestamp; and streamlined replication setups, which enable easy creation of database replicas for high availability and disaster recovery purposes.
PostgreSQL cloud databases can match or surpass on-premise deployments depending on the configuration and the cloud provider's infrastructure.
Cloud-based deployments allow developers to dynamically adjust performance settings and scale resources to optimize application performance. However, they remain vulnerable to network connectivity and multi-tenant workloads, which can impact performance.
To ensure a successful migration, developers should assess their performance needs, evaluate the provider's SLAs and infrastructure and thoroughly test the chosen configuration.
Many cloud providers offer various tools and services to simplify the migration of existing databases to the cloud.
For example, EDB’s Migration Portal assesses Oracle database compatibility with EDB Postgres Advanced Server (EPAS). At the same time, the EDB Migration Toolkit helps migrate smaller databases from Oracle, PostgreSQL, or EPAS to EDB Postgres® AI Cloud Service.
More sophisticated migrations can leverage tools like the EDB Replication Server, an asynchronous replication system that enables data replication between PostgreSQL databases or from non-PostgreSQL databases to PostgreSQL.
Most DBaaS products offer a comprehensive set of security features, including automatic encryption for data at rest and in transit, support for customer-managed encryption keys, database authentication via Cloud IAM, network access controls through VPC, and configurable firewall settings.
While many DBaaS providers adhere to security standards and privacy regulations like SOC, PCI, GDPR, and HIPAA, organizations with highly sensitive data or stringent compliance needs may find the lack of direct control over data storage and management in DBaaS challenging.