PostgreSQL: System Administration Functions

References

• PostgreSQL: System Administration Functions

Notes

Configuration Settings Functions

• current_setting(setting_name)->text: get current value of setting
• set_config(setting_name, new_value, is_local)->text: set parameter value and return new value

Server Signaling Functions

• pg_cancel_backend(pid int)->boolean: Cancel a backend's current query. You can execute this against another backend that has exactly the same role as the user calling the function. In all other cases, you must be a superuser
• pg_terminate_backend(pid int)->boolean: Terminate a backend. You can execute this against another backend that has exactly the same role as the user calling the function. In all other cases, you must be a superuser

There are numerous functions for making on-line backups. There are functions that provide information about the current status of the standby. These functions may be executed both during recovery and in normal running.

PostgreSQL allows database sessions to synchronize their snapshots. A snapshot determines which data is visible to the transaction that is running the snapshot. Synchronized snapshots are necessary when two or more sessions need to see identical content in the database.

There are numerous functions for controlling and interacting with replication features. There are numerous functions that calculate the disk space usage of database objects. There are functions that provide native access to files on the machine hosting server. There are many functions that manage advisory locks.