System Updates

Yesterday I was officially given a new database to administer at work. There are several things you can do to make sure your database runs smoothly. The first is to make sure you are running on the most current version. While you don't want to be on the bleeding edge of technology, it is important to make sure you have all of the security and bug patches installed. Otherwise you open yourself to a number of potential problems.

Upgrading some versions of PostgreSQL are as easy as shutting down the database, installing the new binary files, and restarting the database. Unfortunately my new database required a more lengthy process. As the database is used in a production application, I can't just shut it down on a whim. I have to wait for a regularly scheduled maintenance window. As luck would have it, the window fell at midnight this morning (or last night, depending on how you look at it).

When I was done at the office, I went home, ate some dinner, and did a few chores around the boat. Then I came back and started the database update. Everything ran smoothly and I was done relatively quickly. It helped to create a checklist earlier in the day while my mind was still fresh. Figuring things out after midnight can be a bit foggy if you aren't used to staying up that late.

The tough part about doing a late-night system update is the next morning. Even though I knew I could sleep in, I had trouble sleeping past my usual waking hour. Now I just hope I don't fall asleep at my desk this afternoon.