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Configure server parameters in Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server via the Azure portal

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APPLIES TO: Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server

You can list, show, and update configuration parameters for an Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance through the Azure portal. In addition, you can also click on the Server Parameter Tabs to easily view parameter group as Modified, Static, Dynamic and Read-Only.

Prerequisites

To step through this how-to guide you need:

Viewing and editing parameters

  1. Open the Azure portal.

  2. Select your Azure Database for PostgreSQL flexible server instance.

  3. Under the SETTINGS section, select Server parameters. The page shows a list of parameters, their values, and descriptions. Screenshot of overview page for parameters.

  4. Select the drop down button to see the possible values for enumerated-type parameters like client_min_messages. Screenshot of enumerate drop down.

  5. Select or hover over the i (information) button to see the range of possible values for numeric parameters like cpu_index_tuple_cost. Screenshot of information button.

  6. If needed, use the search box to narrow down to a specific parameter. The search is on the name and description of the parameters. Screenshot of search results.

  7. Change the parameter values you would like to adjust. All changes you make in a session are highlighted in purple. Once you have changed the values, you can select Save. Or you can Discard your changes. Screenshot of save or discard changes.

  8. List all the parameters that are modified from their default value. Screenshot of modified parameter tab.

  9. If you have saved new values for the parameters, you can always revert everything back to the default values by selecting Reset all to default. Screenshot of reset all to default.

Working with time zone parameters

If you plan to work with date and time data in PostgreSQL, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve set the correct time zone for your location. All timezone-aware dates and times are stored internally in PostgreSQL in UTC. They are converted to local time in the zone specified by the TimeZone server parameter before being displayed to the client. This parameter can be edited on Server parameters page as explained above. PostgreSQL allows you to specify time zones in three different forms:

  1. A full time zone name, for example America/New_York. The recognized time zone names are listed in the pg_timezone_names view.
    Example to query this view in psql and get list of time zone names:

    select name FROM pg_timezone_names LIMIT 20;

    You should see result set like:

             name
     -----------------------
     GMT0
     Iceland
     Factory
     NZ-CHAT
     America/Panama
     America/Fort_Nelson
     America/Pangnirtung
     America/Belem
     America/Coral_Harbour
     America/Guayaquil
     America/Marigot
     America/Barbados
     America/Porto_Velho
     America/Bogota
     America/Menominee
     America/Martinique
     America/Asuncion
     America/Toronto
     America/Tortola
     America/Managua
     (20 rows)

  2. A time zone abbreviation, for example PST. Such a specification merely defines a particular offset from UTC, in contrast to full time zone names which can imply a set of daylight savings transition-date rules as well. The recognized abbreviations are listed in the pg_timezone_abbrevs view Example to query this view in psql and get list of time zone abbreviations:

     select abbrev from pg_timezone_abbrevs limit 20;

    You should see result set like:

         abbrev|
     ------+
     ACDT  |
     ACSST |
     ACST  |
     ACT   |
     ACWST |
     ADT   |
     AEDT  |
     AESST |
     AEST  |
     AFT   |
     AKDT  |
     AKST  |
     ALMST |
     ALMT  |
     AMST  |
     AMT   |
     ANAST |
     ANAT  |
     ARST  |
     ART   |

  3. In addition to the timezone names and abbreviations, PostgreSQL will accept POSIX-style time zone specifications of the form STDoffset or STDoffsetDST, where STD is a zone abbreviation, offset is a numeric offset in hours west from UTC, and DST is an optional daylight-savings zone abbreviation, assumed to stand for one hour ahead of the given offset.

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