This post has been republished via RSS; it originally appeared at: Microsoft Tech Community - Latest Blogs - .
Greetings Azure Community!
As we continue our journey into 2024, the momentum we gathered in January with Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server has not slowed down. February has been a month of substantial progress and exciting new features aimed at enhancing your PostgreSQL experience on Azure. We're thrilled to share the latest advancements that have been introduced this month, including significant version upgrades and enhanced logging features. Let’s dive into the updates and explore how they can benefit your PostgreSQL deployments on Azure.
Feature Highlights of the Month:
- Private Endpoints – General Availability
- Latest extension versions
- Support for the latest Postgres minor version: 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, 12.17, and 11.22
- Enhanced Logging for Monitoring and Troubleshooting Major Version Upgrades
- Introduction of pgvector 0.6.0
- Real-time text translation with Azure_AI extension
- Online migration for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Single Server to Flexible Server in public preview
1. Private Endpoints – General Availability
Ever since Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server went public in December 2021 we have seen fast adoption with customers in a number of industries that require secure private network access that provides flexibility, easy connectivity to other Azure services, as well as high security and isolation. To meet these customer needs, in November 2023, we announced support for Azure Private Link for private networking with Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible server in Public Preview, in addition to already existing networking capabilities provided by VNET injection.
Now, we are pleased to announce General Availability of a Private Link based networking feature in Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server in all public Azure regions where service is currently available. To learn more, please refer Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server networking with Private Link.
2. Latest extension versions
We are excited to announce an upgrade to our extension versions across the board. This upgrade ensures that all our users have access to the latest of their favorite PostgreSQL extensions. This move is in line with our commitment to providing a robust and feature-rich platform that meets the evolving needs of our users. The upgraded extensions come with improvements in performance, security, and compatibility, enabling you to leverage the full potential of PostgreSQL on Azure.
To learn more, please refer Azure Postgres Flexible Server list of extensions.
3. Support for the latest Postgres minor versions
PostgreSQL minor versions 16.1, 15.5, 14.10, 13.13, 12.17 and 11.22 are now supported by Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server. hese minor version upgrades are automatically performed as part of the monthly planned maintenance in Azure Database for PostgreSQL – Flexible Server. This upgrade automation ensures that your databases are always running on the most secure and optimized versions without requiring manual intervention. This release fixes two security vulnerabilities and over 40 bugs.
To lean more, please refer PostgreSQL community announcement for more details about the release.
4. Enhanced Logging for Monitoring and Troubleshooting Major Version Upgrades.
We're thrilled to introduce the 'Postgres Version Upgrade Logs' (aka PG_Upgrade_Logs) feature to Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server. This feature enhances the Major Version Upgrade experience by providing access to detailed postgres upgrade logs to show the success and error messages. Customers can access these logs right within the Server Logs UI. This new feature promises to provide deep insights, making troubleshooting significantly more effective and intuitive. Designed for easy configuration and accessibility, either through the Azure Portal or CLI, PG_Upgrade_Logs fits seamlessly into your workflow, reinforcing our dedication to improving user experience and offering powerful tools for optimal database management.
To learn more, please refer Major version upgrade for Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server.
5. Introduction of pgvector 0.6.0
Support for the latest open-source version of pgvector, version 0.6.0, is now generally available for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server. This updated version of pgvector provides multiple HNSW** performance improvements over version 0.5.1 including:
- Parallel index builds for HNSW.
- Reduced memory usage for HNSW.
- Reduced WAL generation for building HNSW indexes.
Learn more about how to use pgvector in Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server.
pgvector is a popular extension for efficient vector similarity searches within PostgreSQL. This update opens up new possibilities for developers working on machine learning and search applications, by allowing them to leverage PostgreSQL for vector operations. With pgvector 0.6.0, users can expect enhanced performance and new features that make working with vector data more efficient and effective. To learn more see the change log for pgvector .
**Hierarchical Navigable Small World
6. Real-time text translation with azure_ai extension
The azure_ai extension on Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server now has real-time text translation capabilities in preview using the Azure AI Translator. This simplifies building intelligent multilingual applications as translations are done in real-time right within the database.
To learn more, please refer Integrate Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server with Azure Cognitive Services and the release blog.
7. Online migration: Single to Flexible server
We are very excited to announce the public preview of Online migration feature for migration from Single Server to Flexible Server. This feature is in line with our commitment to providing a seamless migration experience. The Online migration update also comes with several broader improvements in telemetry, speed and memory usage.
To learn more, please refer doc for migrating from Single Server to Flexible Server.
In Conclusion
February has been another milestone month for Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server, with significant updates and new features that underscore our commitment to providing a top-tier managed database service. These updates are designed to enhance your PostgreSQL experience, providing you with the tools and features you need to succeed in your projects.
We are excited to see how you leverage these new capabilities in your applications and projects. Your feedback is invaluable to us, so please do not hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions for future improvements. Stay tuned for more updates and enhancements in the coming months and thank you for being part of our Azure PostgreSQL community.