Database Insights

How to use pg_stat_statements to identify slow queries, analyze execution stats, and optimize PostgreSQL performance

PostgreSQL WAL retention is a balancing act — too little and standbys fall behind; too much and you risk disk exhaustion. Here's how to configure wal_keep_size and manage replication slots safely.

RDS MySQL audit logs stored in CloudWatch cost significantly more than S3 — and most teams don't need real-time log access. Here's how to export audit logs to S3 and cut your AWS bill.

In 2026, more database versions are hitting end-of-life than any year in recent history.

Survey essential PostgreSQL extensions: pg_stat_statements for query analysis, pg_trgm for fuzzy search, pg_cron for scheduled jobs, pg_buffercache for cache inspection.

MySQL 8.4's audit log filter system lets you capture exactly the events your compliance framework requires — filtering by user, schema, event class, and severity to reduce audit log volume.

A practical guide to hardening PostgreSQL: configure SSL/TLS, tighten pg_hba.conf, implement least-privilege roles, enable row-level security, and set up audit logging.

PostgreSQL's logging system is powerful but requires careful configuration to be useful in production. Learn how to capture slow queries, connection events, and DDL changes without drowning in noise.

Build a complete database observability stack with Prometheus metrics, slow query logs, and OpenTelemetry distributed traces. Includes alert rules for replication lag and cache hit rate.

Use MySQL Performance Schema to find top queries by total time, detect blocking transactions in real time, audit index usage, and analyze memory allocation.

Master pg_stat_statements for PostgreSQL query analysis. Find top queries by total time, detect plan instability via stddev, identify I/O-heavy queries, and track WAL generation.

Benchmark MySQL with sysbench OLTP workloads. Covers setup, read/write and read-only suites, interpreting TPS and 95th percentile latency, and comparing before/after changes.