Transporting PostgreSQL databases between DB instances

By using PostgreSQL transportable databases for Amazon RDS, you can move a PostgreSQL database between two DB instances. This is a very fast way to migrate large databases between different DB instances. To use this approach, your DB instances must both run the same major version of PostgreSQL.

This capability requires that you install the pg_transport extension on both the source and the destination DB instance. The pg_transport extension provides a physical transport mechanism that moves the database files with minimal processing. This mechanism moves data much faster than traditional dump and load processes, with less downtime.

Note

PostgreSQL transportable databases are available in RDS for PostgreSQL 11.5 and higher, and RDS for PostgreSQL version 10.10 and higher.

To transport a PostgreSQL DB instance from one RDS for PostgreSQL DB instance to another, you first set up the source and destination instances as detailed in Setting up a DB instance for transport. You can then transport the database by using the function described in Transporting a PostgreSQL database.

Topics

• What happens during database transport

• Limitations for using PostgreSQL transportable databases

• Setting up to transport a PostgreSQL database

• Transporting a PostgreSQL database to the destination from the source

• Transportable databases function reference

• Transportable databases parameter reference

What happens during database transport

The PostgreSQL transportable databases feature uses a pull model to import the database from the source DB instance to the destination. The transport.import_from_server function creates the in-transit database on the destination DB instance. The in-transit database is inaccessible on the destination DB instance for the duration of the transport.

When transport begins, all current sessions on the source database are ended. Any databases other than the source database on the source DB instance aren't affected by the transport.

The source database is put into a special read-only mode. While it's in this mode, you can connect to the source database and run read-only queries. However, write-enabled queries and some other types of commands are blocked. Only the specific source database that is being transported is affected by these restrictions.

During transport, you can't restore the destination DB instance to a point in time. This is because the transport isn't transactional and doesn't use the PostgreSQL write-ahead log to record changes. If the destination DB instance has automatic backups enabled, a backup is automatically taken after transport completes. Point-in-time restores are available for times after the backup finishes.

If the transport fails, the pg_transport extension attempts to undo all changes to the source and destination DB instances. This includes removing the destination's partially transported database. Depending on the type of failure, the source database might continue to reject write-enabled queries. If this happens, use the following command to allow write-enabled queries.

ALTER DATABASE db-name SET default_transaction_read_only = false;

Limitations for using PostgreSQL transportable databases

Transportable databases have the following limitations:

• Read replicas – You can't use transportable databases on read replicas or parent instances of read replicas.

• Unsupported column types – You can't use the reg data types in any database tables that you plan to transport with this method. These types depend on system catalog object IDs (OIDs), which often change during transport.

• Tablespaces – All source database objects must be in the default pg_default tablespace.

• Compatibility – Both the source and destination DB instances must run the same major version of PostgreSQL.

• Extensions – The source DB instance can have only the pg_transport installed.

• Roles and ACLs – The source database's access privileges and ownership information aren't carried over to the destination database. All database objects are created and owned by the local destination user of the transport.

• Concurrent transports – A single DB instance can support up to 32 concurrent transports, including both imports and exports, if worker processes have been configured properly.

• RDS for PostgreSQL DB instances only – PostgreSQL transportable databases are supported on RDS for PostgreSQL DB instances only. You can't use it with on-premises databases or databases running on Amazon EC2.