Set up a PostgreSQL Instance Store

This guide outlines the steps to set up an Ascend Instance Store with PostgreSQL.

Prerequisites

• Ascend Instance
• PostgreSQL installed to use psql CLI tool (brew install postgresql)
• PostgreSQL instance on your preferred cloud provider
  • Follow these guides to create a PostgreSQL instance on Azure, GCP, or AWS

Configure your Ascend Instance Store

1. Access your Ascend Instance settings:

   • Navigate to your Instance URL
   • Go to Settings > Instance

2. Add your database password to the Instance Vault:

   • Scroll to Instance Vault section
   • Select Manage Secrets
   • Click Add Secret
   • For the Secret Details:
     • Use a Name like ascend-instance-store-postgres-admin-password
     • Input the password in Value

3. Configure the Instance Store:

   • Return to Settings > Instance
   • Click Edit Instance Store
   • Select PostgreSQL
   • Enter the following details:
     • Hostname
     tip

     The hostname format may differ across cloud providers.

     - User
     - Secret name from vault (e.g., `ascend-instance-store-postgres-admin-password`)
     - Database name (recommended: `ascend_instance`)
      :::note
      On GCP, you cannot give your database the same name as your PostgreSQL instance. If you're using GCP, consider naming your instance `ascend-instance` and your database `ascend-instance-db`.
     • Schema (recommended: instance_data)

4. Connect to your PostgreSQL instance via psql:

HOSTNAME=<YOUR-HOSTNAME>
PASSWORD=<YOUR-POSTGRES-USER-PASSWORD>

psql "host=${HOSTNAME} port=5432 user=postgres dbname=postgres password=${PASSWORD}"

If you see postgres=> at the beginning of your output, you're connected to the database and ready for the next step!

5. Click Get Setup Script and copy & paste the commands into your terminal. Alternatively, you can run the commands below (after setting the variables).

/* Below we are creating a dedicated database, schema, and user for storing your instance information in Postgres */
\set INSTANCE_DB '<instance-db>' \;
\set INSTANCE_SCHEMA '<instance-schema>' \;
\set INSTANCE_USER '<instance-user>' \;
CREATE DATABASE :INSTANCE_DB;

\connect :INSTANCE_DB \;
CREATE SCHEMA :INSTANCE_SCHEMA;

/* Change the below password and store it in your vault with key POSTGRES_PASSWORD */
CREATE USER :INSTANCE_USER WITH PASSWORD '<your-password>';

GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA :INSTANCE_SCHEMA TO :INSTANCE_USER;

6. In the Ascend UI, click Check and Update Instance Store

🎉 Congratulations! Your Ascend Instance is now connected to PostgreSQL.