Kubegres: Simplified PostgreSQL Management on Kubernetes

Deploying and managing relational databases on Kubernetes can be challenging. Although containers and orchestration offer flexibility, data persistence, high availability, and backups for a database like PostgreSQL require careful consideration. This is where Kubegres comes into play.

What is Kubegres?¶

Kubegres is a Kubernetes operator that allows you to deploy and manage PostgreSQL clusters on Kubernetes simply and efficiently. An operator is an application that extends Kubernetes functionalities, automating complex operational tasks that typically require manual intervention.

Why use Kubegres?¶

Kubegres abstracts much of the complexity of running PostgreSQL in an orchestrated environment, offering key features such as:

• High Availability (HA): Automatic configuration of PostgreSQL replicas to ensure service continuity in the event of failures.
• Replication: Support for streaming replication (Primary/Standby) for redundancy and read scalability.
• Backups and Restore: Facilitates the configuration of backup policies and data recovery.
• Scalability: Allows scaling PostgreSQL read replicas to handle growing workloads.
• Easy Updates: Manages PostgreSQL version updates within the cluster.
• Monitoring: Integrates mechanisms to monitor the cluster status.

How does it work?¶

Kubegres uses Kubernetes Custom Resources (CRs). This means you interact with your PostgreSQL cluster using standard Kubernetes objects (YAML). You define the desired state of your cluster (number of replicas, PostgreSQL version, backup policies) in a YAML file, and Kubegres ensures that state is maintained at all times.

apiVersion: kubegres.reactive-tech.io/v1
kind: Kubegres
metadata:
  name: my-postgres
spec:
  replicas: 3
  image: postgres:13.2
  database:
    size: 10Gi
  # ... other settings for backups, etc.

Benefits for Developers and Operations¶

• Simplification: Drastically reduces the complexity of operating PostgreSQL on Kubernetes.
• Automation: Tasks like failover, replication, and backups are managed automatically.
• Consistency: Ensures that the state of your database always reflects your desired configuration.
• DevOps Friendly: Allows you to integrate database management into your CI/CD pipelines using the same tools and workflows as for the rest of your K8s applications.

Kubegres is an excellent choice for teams looking for a robust and automated solution for their PostgreSQL needs on Kubernetes.

Original article: Kubegres - The Kubernetes PostgreSQL operator