PostgreSQL Maintenance Without Superuser
4 days ago
- #Role Management
- #PostgreSQL
- #Database Security
- PostgreSQL's predefined roles provide granular access for common maintenance tasks without requiring superuser privileges.
- There are 15 predefined roles grouped by functionality: data access, monitoring, system operations, file system access, and specialized use cases.
- Key roles include pg_read_all_data, pg_write_all_data, pg_monitor, pg_signal_backend, and pg_database_owner.
- Predefined roles help delegate specific capabilities (e.g., monitoring, backups) to appropriate teams without excessive permissions.
- PostgreSQL versions have progressively added predefined roles to address operational needs (e.g., pg_maintain in PostgreSQL 17, pg_signal_autovacuum_worker in PostgreSQL 18).
- The pg_database_owner role is unique—it changes membership with the current database and helps manage database ownership securely.
- Predefined roles simplify permission management by covering current and future objects automatically at the cluster level.
- Using predefined roles enhances security by minimizing superuser access and enabling logical capability delegation.