What is PostGreSQL on Azure?

Azure Database for PostgreSQL is a relational database service based on the open-source Postgres database engine. It's a fully managed database-as-a-service that can handle mission-critical workloads with predictable performance, security, high availability, and dynamic scalability. Azure Database for PostgreSQL has mainly 2 different deployment options:

• Flexible Server

  Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server is a fully managed database service designed to provide more granular control and flexibility over database management functions and configuration settings. The service generally provides more flexibility and server configuration customizations based on user requirements. Flexible servers are best suited for application developments requiring better control and customizations, Zone redundant high availability, and Managed maintenance windows. The flexible server deployment model is designed to support high availability within a single availability zone and across multiple availability zones. The architecture separates compute and storage. The database engine runs on a container inside a Linux virtual machine, while data files reside on Azure storage. The storage maintains three locally redundant synchronous copies of the database files ensuring data durability.

• Single Server

  Single Server is a fully managed database service with minimal requirements for customizations of the database. The single server platform is designed to handle most of the database management functions such as patching, backups, high availability, security with minimal user configuration and control. The architecture is optimized to provide 99.99% availability on single availability zone. Single servers are best suited for cloud native applications designed to handle automated patching without the need for granular control on the patching schedule and custom PostgreSQL configuration settings.