PostgreSQL Advanced Administration

Select your learning method

Overview Learning objectives What you’ll learn Key facts FAQs What our customers say Get in touch

Learn essential skills

Course overview

This interactive two-day programme is built for PostgreSQL professionals who want to sharpen their expertise. You’ll work through database upgrades, advanced security features, table partitioning, and both streaming and logical replication. Training is delivered through practical exercises designed to reinforce skills you can use in real projects immediately.

Master advanced PostgreSQL operations

Over two proactive days, you’ll gain the knowledge to manage upgrades, improve system security, handle large datasets efficiently, and configure high-availability environments. ILX’s expert trainers guide you through realistic tasks that mirror the demands of production systems, ensuring you finish with tested, applicable skills.

Learning objectives

Upgrade PostgreSQL using different tools
Secure connections and encrypt data
Partition large tables for better performance
Set up streaming and logical replication
Deal with failover and replication issues
Apply administration skills in real-world tasks

What you’ll learn

From secure data handling to setting up complex replication systems, you’ll explore the advanced capabilities of PostgreSQL in depth. Practical labs ensure you understand not just how to configure features, but also why certain approaches work best for different operational needs.

Database upgrade mastery

Learn how to confidently transition PostgreSQL environments between versions without disrupting service. You’ll practise three upgrade approaches: pg_dump for logical exports, pg_upgrade for rapid in-place upgrades, and logical replication for near-zero downtime migrations. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to plan, execute, and validate an upgrade process suited to your organisation’s operational needs.

Security hardening and encryption

Strengthen your PostgreSQL deployment by implementing advanced security measures. You’ll work with authentication rules, role-based permissions, and row-level security to restrict data access. Practical labs cover securing TCP/IP connections with SSL/TLS, tunnelling traffic with SSH, and encrypting sensitive data using the pgcrypto module, all while balancing security with system performance.

Partitioning for performance

Discover how to split and manage large datasets for faster queries and easier maintenance. You’ll build partitioned tables using both declarative and inheritance methods, attach and detach partitions, and assess how different strategies affect performance. This skill set is essential for handling growing databases while maintaining speed and reliability.

Building high-availability clusters

Configure a resilient PostgreSQL cluster using streaming replication to maintain synchronised standby servers. You’ll create replication roles, set up replication slots, manage synchronous and asynchronous replication modes, and rehearse both planned and emergency failover scenarios. These skills will help you deliver continuous service and minimise downtime in production environments.

What’s included

2 days of instructor-led PostgreSQL training
Hands-on practice using real PostgreSQL tools
Guided walkthroughs of complex administration tasks
Clear examples for replication, upgrades, and security
One-to-one support from PostgreSQL experts
Course materials to keep and reference later
ILX certificate of completion

Key facts

Ideal for

IT professionals, DBAs or technological team members already using PostgreSQL who want to boost their skills in advanced administration tasks like replication, upgrades and securing data.

Prerequisites

You should already feel comfortable using PostgreSQL and have some practical administration experience. Completing a general PostgreSQL Administration course beforehand could help prepare you for this course.

Learning experience

Our experienced trainers and interactive labs create a focused, practical environment – so you can put theory into practice from day one.

FAQs

This advanced PostgreSQL course gives you the tools to manage complex database environments. Over two days, you’ll upgrade systems, improve security, optimise large datasets, and implement replication strategies, all practised through guided, hands-on labs led by ILX’s expert trainers.

How much PostgreSQL experience should I have before joining?

You should already be comfortable working with PostgreSQL at an administrative level. This includes managing users, basic configuration, and routine maintenance tasks. If you have completed a PostgreSQL administration course or equivalent on-the-job experience, you’ll be ready to tackle the advanced topics we cover.

Will we work with both current and older PostgreSQL versions?

Yes. The course addresses features and changes in PostgreSQL versions 10 to 16, and you’ll see how to work with older installations when planning upgrades. This ensures you can apply your learning whether your environment is fully up to date or still running legacy systems.

Does the course include best practices for production environments?

Absolutely. Every topic is taught with production use in mind, including minimising downtime during upgrades, securing remote connections, managing replication failovers, and optimising partitioning for large-scale datasets. You’ll also learn common pitfalls to avoid when applying these techniques to live systems.

Will I learn how to monitor system health after changes?

Yes. You’ll practise using PostgreSQL’s built-in monitoring commands and logs to track replication status, identify bottlenecks, and verify that upgrades or security changes are functioning correctly. These skills will help you keep your databases stable and performant after any major change.

What our customers say

"The training was absolutely fantastic. Hats off to the trainer John."

Jomon, Senior Specialist Engineer SRE – Government

"This is now my second course with John at ILX and once again the delivery was simply excellent. Best fun I've had at work for a while now and would very highly recommend the course to anyone who's taking on more PL/SQL work in their job. Hoping to come back for more in the future!"

Ashley, AppOps Engineer (Jr DBA) - Government

Why study with ILX

500,000+ learners

Join the half a million learners developing their skills with our training

5,000+ businesses

A trusted partner to thousands of organisations worldwide

96% customer satisfaction

Our passionate team goes above and beyond to support customer needs

Similar courses

Linux

Course

Linux Introduction

From R28,670.00

PostgreSQL

Course

SQL for PostgreSQL

From R28,350.00

PostgreSQL

Course

PostgreSQL Administration

From R52,400.00

PostgreSQL

Course

PostgreSQL for Developers

From R29,930.00

Python

Course

Python Programming 1

From R41,790.00

PHP

Course

PHP Developer

From R35,600.00