Updated June 2026

Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL

Class Duration

21 hours of live training delivered over 3-5 days to accommodate your scheduling needs

Student Prerequisites

No prior experience with PostgreSQL or AWS is necessary
Students should have a basic understanding of SQL, relational databases, and cloud computing

Target Audience

DBAs, backend engineers, and data engineers aiming to craft performant PL/pgSQL stored procedures/functions, optimize query execution, and enforce security on Amazon RDS - streamlining data workflows, automating maintenance, and achieving dependable backups, recovery, and monitoring. For self-managed engine internals, pair this with PostgreSQL for Administrators; teams on Azure can compare Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server.

Description

This comprehensive course is tailored for computer programming professionals aiming to deepen their expertise in PostgreSQL administration, with a particular focus on managing databases within an Amazon RDS environment. It provides thorough coverage of foundational topics such as PostgreSQL and Amazon RDS basics, creating and configuring database servers, and managing database parameters. The curriculum then advances into more complex areas including data migration, system configuration, ongoing maintenance, and ensuring database security. Students will also gain practical insights into performance tuning, backup and restore procedures, and troubleshooting common issues. The course emphasizes best practices for security, performance optimization, backup and recovery strategies, system monitoring, regular maintenance, and cost management. Ideal for those looking to strengthen their PostgreSQL administration capabilities, this course equips learners with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to manage production-grade PostgreSQL deployments effectively.

Learning Outcomes

Explain PostgreSQL and Amazon RDS architecture and choose between standalone, clustered, and Multi-AZ topologies.
Provision and configure RDS for PostgreSQL instances, including parameter groups, database options, and maintenance windows.
Secure databases with SSL/TLS in transit, encryption at rest, and auditing via PgAudit; evaluate where TDE concepts apply.
Plan migrations to RDS and execute reliable bulk data movement using S3 export/import.
Implement monitoring with CloudWatch, Enhanced Monitoring, Performance Insights, and log exports for proactive operations.
Optimize performance and cost through storage auto scaling and gp2 vs. gp3 selection, plus targeted tuning.
Design and test backup strategies using snapshots, automated/continuous backups, and point-in-time recovery; perform restores from snapshots and S3.
Troubleshoot connectivity, performance, storage, replication/read-replica, and authentication issues; apply HA/DR, maintenance, and schema/version-control best practices.

Training Materials

All students receive comprehensive courseware covering all topics in the course. Courseware is distributed via GitHub in the form of documentation and extensive code samples. Students practice the topics covered through challenging hands-on lab exercises. Students will need a free, personal GitHub account to access the courseware. Students are provided a cloud-based environment for all demonstrations and lab exercises.

Software Requirements

Students will need a free, personal GitHub account to access the courseware. Students are provided a cloud-based environment for all demonstrations and lab exercises.

Training Topics

PostgreSQL Administration

Overview of PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL Architecture
Key Features of PostgreSQL
Key Features of Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL

Create a Database Server

What is an Amazon RDS Instance?
Production vs. Development Instances
Standalone Instance
Clustered Instances
Multi-AZ Deployments

Create a Database

Creating a Database
Database Parameters
Database Options

Export/Import Data

Migrate to Amazon RDS
Export Data to S3
Import Data from S3

Configuration and Maintenance

Difference between self-managed and managed databases
No usual configuration files such as postgresql.conf
Managed Patches and Upgrades
Parameter Groups
Configure PgAudit
Instance Maintenance
Database Maintenance

Security

Data Encryption in Transit
Explore encryption at REST and in transit
Basic SSL setup
Transparent Data Encryption

Performance Tuning

Storage Auto Scaling
RDS storage types (Gp2 vs Gp3)

Backup and Restore

Snapshots
Automated Backups
Manual Backups
Continuous Backups
Point-in-Time Recovery
Restore a Database from a Snapshot
Restore a Database from S3
Restore a Database from Another Computer

Monitoring and Logging

CloudWatch
Enhanced Monitoring
Performance Insights
Log Exports
PgAudit

Connecting to PostgreSQL Database

psql Command Line
pgAdmin
DBeaver
Enabling Remote Access
Connecting to RDS from EC2

Troubleshooting

Common Connectivity Issues
Performance Issues
Storage-Related Problems
Backup and Restore Failures
Replication and Read Replica Issues
Authentication and Authorization Errors
RDS Instance Availability and Failures

Best Practices

Security
Performance
Backup and Recovery
Monitoring
Maintenance
High Availability and Disaster Recovery
Cost Management
Schema Management and Version Control