Unable to create Azure Database for Postgres Flexible Server using terraform script due to Internal Server Error.

Question

Hello everyone, I'm unable to create an azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server resource using terrafrom script. I'm getting following error:

user@host:~/infra$ terraform apply tfplan.terraform

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Creating...

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [10s elapsed]

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [20s elapsed]

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [30s elapsed]

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [40s elapsed]

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [50s elapsed]

azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv: Still creating... [1m0s elapsed]

╷

│ Error: creating Flexible Server (Subscription: "<mysubid>"

│ Resource Group Name: "resgroup-test-postgressrv"

│ Flexible Server Name: "postgres-common-test"): polling after Create: polling failed: the Azure API returned the following error:

│

│ Status: "InternalServerError"

│ Code: ""

│ Message: "An unexpected error occured while processing the request. Tracking ID: '<some_tracking_id>'"

│ Activity Id: ""

│

│ ---

│

│ API Response:

│

│ ----[start]----

│ {"name":"<some_activity_id>","status":"Failed","startTime":"2025-03-07T08:42:00.087Z","error":{"code":"InternalServerError","message":"An unexpected error occured while processing the request. Tracking ID: '<some_tracking_id>'"}}

│ -----[end]-----

│

│

│ with azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgressrv,

│ on main.tf line 6, in resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server" "postgressrv":

│ 6: resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server" "postgressrv" {

Here's my script:
main.tf

resource "azurerm_resource_group" "resource_group" {
  name     = local.resource_group_name
  location = var.location
}

resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server" "postgressrv" {
  name                          = local.hostname
  resource_group_name           = azurerm_resource_group.resource_group.name
  location                      = azurerm_resource_group.resource_group.location
  version                       = var.pg_version
  administrator_login           = var.username
  administrator_password        = var.password
  zone                          = 3
  storage_mb                    = 32768
  storage_tier                  = "P4"
  sku_name                      = var.sku_name
  backup_retention_days         = 7
  geo_redundant_backup_enabled  = false
  public_network_access_enabled = true
  auto_grow_enabled = true

  authentication {
    password_auth_enabled = true
  }

  tags = {
    env     = var.env
    purpose = "airflow"
  }

  depends_on = [azurerm_resource_group.resource_group]
}

variables.tf

variable "env" {
  default = "test"
}

variable "pg_version" {
  default = "16"
}

variable "location" {
  default = "northeurope"
}

variable "sku_name" {
  default = "B_Standard_B1ms"
}

variable "username" {
  default = "mytestpgadmin"
}

variable "password" {
  default = "H4sh1C0rp!!"
}

providers.tf

terraform {
  required_version = ">=1.0"
  required_providers {
    azurerm = {
      source  = "hashicorp/azurerm"
      version = "~>3.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "azurerm" {
  features {}
}

I have already tried removing or changing the zone from 3 to 2 or even 1. I've used Azure Portal to create the same resource, and I was able to create it with same configuration using Azure Portal. What am I doing wrong here, I've prepared this script by following the examples, given at https://registry.terraform.io/providers/tfproviders/azurerm/latest/docs/resources/postgresql_flexible_server
and
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/developer/terraform/deploy-postgresql-flexible-server-database?tabs=azure-cli

Answer 1

Shubham Kumar (iDEAS-Group)

Thank you for reaching out.

I am sorry to hear about the issue you are facing.

There's a known issue where when a non-unique name is created in a different resource group, subscription or tenant, than the already existing one, the deployment fails with an Internal Server Error. Our team is actively working on it. As a workaround we would suggest choosing a different until this is completely fixed.

Regards,

Oury 

Answer 2

As we discussed in comment you are able to deploy the Azure Database for Postgres Flexible Server when you change the name.

I tried to run the example and it worked with the name "example-psqlflexibleserver-shubham"

The error you are encountering is due to a previously created resource with the same name that was deleted. When you attempt to create a new resource with the same name, the cached data from the earlier resource is causing the issue.

The name which you are using is postgres-common-test is most common name.

• To resolve this you can use, the resource random_string that generates a random permutation of alphanumeric characters and optionally special characters as below example:

resource "random_string" "server_name_suffix" {

length = 6

special = false

upper = false

numeric = true

}

My terraform code:

    terraform {
  required_version = ">=1.0"
  required_providers {
    azurerm = {
      source  = "hashicorp/azurerm"
      version = "~>3.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "azurerm" {
  features {}
}

variable "env" {
  default = "test"
}

variable "location" {
  default = "northeurope"
}

variable "pg_version" {
  default = "16"
}

variable "sku_name" {
  default = "B_Standard_B1ms"
}

variable "admin_username" {
  default = "pgadmin"
}

variable "admin_password" {
  default = "H4sh1C0rp!!"
}

variable "allowed_ip_range" {
  default = ""
}

resource "azurerm_resource_group" "rg" {
  name     = "rg-${var.env}-postgres"
  location = var.location
}

resource "random_string" "server_name_suffix" {
  length  = 6
  special = false
  upper   = false
  numeric = true
}

resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server" "postgres" {
  name                          = "psqlflexible-${random_string.server_name_suffix.result}"
  resource_group_name           = azurerm_resource_group.rg.name
  location                      = azurerm_resource_group.rg.location
  version                       = var.pg_version
  administrator_login           = var.admin_username
  administrator_password        = var.admin_password
  storage_mb                    = 32768
  storage_tier                  = "P4"
  sku_name                      = var.sku_name
  geo_redundant_backup_enabled  = false
  public_network_access_enabled = true
  auto_grow_enabled             = true
  zone                   = "1"

  authentication {
    password_auth_enabled = true
  }
  tags = {
    environment = var.env
  }
}

resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server_database" "database" {
  name      = "mytestdb"
  server_id = azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgres.id
  collation = "en_US.utf8"
  charset   = "UTF8"
}
 
resource "azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server_firewall_rule" "allow_range" {
  name      = "allow-ip-range"
  server_id = azurerm_postgresql_flexible_server.postgres.id
  start_ip_address = var.allowed_ip_range
  end_ip_address   = "your IP" 
}

Here is the above terraform code deployed the resource with the name where it contains random characters.

Updated:

The Azure Database for Postgres Flexible Server name you are trying to use should be globally unique across Azure. Azure Database for Postgres Flexible Server names must be unique not only within your subscription but also across all Azure tenants.

So even if the previous Azure Database for Postgres Flexible server was deleted in tenant #1, it might still be reserved across Azure.

You can also try the following steps and see if that helps.

• Clear “Cookies and Cached data” of your browser.
• Private Mode (New InPrivate Window).     
• Try in different browser.