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Database Technology

Tuesday, August 04, 2026 · 7 stories, curated & summarized — click any story for the source.

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Planet PostgreSQL database

PostgreSQL 18 adds idle_replication_slot_timeout to expire abandoned slots

PostgreSQL 18 introduces a new GUC, idle_replication_slot_timeout, to automatically drop replication slots that have been idle for a specified duration. This prevents WAL accumulation from orphaned slots from filling up disk space indefinitely. The feature provides a safety net for environments where slots are not actively managed or monitored.

  • New GUC idle_replication_slot_timeout replaces infinite WAL retention for abandoned slots.
  • Prevents disk exhaustion caused by forgotten or disconnected replication connections.
  • Requires PostgreSQL 18 to utilize this automatic cleanup mechanism.
  • DBAs should set an appropriate timeout value to balance safety and operational needs.
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Hacker News (100+ points) general

Andy Pavlo joins ClickHouse to lead new ClickHouse Labs research group

Noted database systems researcher Andy Pavlo has joined ClickHouse to establish and lead a new entity called ClickHouse Labs. This hire signals a strategic move to formalize academic-style research within the company's open-source columnar database efforts. The appointment brings significant credibility and technical depth to ClickHouse's ongoing development roadmap.

  • ClickHouse is institutionalizing research via a dedicated 'Labs' group under Pavlo
  • Andy Pavlo's reputation as a database systems expert boosts ClickHouse's technical standing
  • Expect deeper theoretical optimizations and novel query engine features in future releases
  • Indicates a shift towards long-term architectural innovation rather than just feature parity
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PostgreSQL News database

pgBackRest 2.59.0 Released with Ransomware Protection and Resume Features

The pgBackRest community has released version 2.59.0, delivering updates to the popular PostgreSQL backup and restore tool. This release introduces malware and ransomware protection capabilities alongside the ability to resume partial or failed backups. The software continues to support parallel operations, multiple compression types, and encryption for scalable database infrastructure.

  • New malware and ransomware protection features enhance backup security.
  • Partial and failed backup resumption reduces recovery time for interrupted jobs.
  • Supports parallel backup/restore and asynchronous archiving for large workloads.
  • Maintains compatibility with S3, Azure, GCS, and SFTP storage repositories.
  • Validates page checksums during backup when enabled in the database.
CHECKLISTpgBackRest 2.59 Key FeaturesEnables malware and ransomware protectionResumes partial or failed backupsSupports parallel backup and restoreValidates page checksums during backupCompatible with S3, Azure, GCS
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Planet PostgreSQL database

Postgres COUNT(DISTINCT) Speed: Use HyperLogLog for Fast Approximation

Replacing exact COUNT(DISTINCT) with HyperLogLog (HLL) sketches can halve query latency, as demonstrated by a drop from 671ms to 320ms on a single scan. HLL works by hashing values and aggregating them into fixed-size sketches, allowing for rapid cardinality estimation. The critical advantage is mergeability; daily sketches can be stored and unioned at query time to compute distinct counts across arbitrary date ranges without re-scanning raw data.

  • HLL sketches are mergeable, enabling pre-aggregation of daily data for instant range queries.
  • Each daily sketch row is tiny (~1.3KB), independent of the volume of distinct values processed.
  • Latency benefits are significant, with HLL showing ~2x speedup over exact COUNT(DISTINCT).
  • Implementation involves hashing values, aggregating into HLL structures, and querying cardinality.
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PostgreSQL News database

E-Maj 5.0.0 Adds Non-Superuser Support and Postgres 19 Compatibility

The E-Maj 5.0.0 release introduces the ability for non-superuser roles to install and operate the extension, with feature access governed by specific privileges. This update ensures compatibility with PostgreSQL versions 14 through 19 and enhances the Emaj_web client. Key improvements also include better support for idempotent administration scripts and streamlined parameter management.

  • Non-superuser roles can now install and use E-Maj, enabling finer-grained access control.
  • Full compatibility with PostgreSQL 19, supporting versions 14 through 19.
  • Emaj_web client updated to leverage new privilege and scripting features.
  • Improved handling of idempotent admin scripts and E-Maj parameter configuration.
COMPARISONE-Maj PostgreSQL CompatibilityVersion 1414Version 1919
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AWS What's New awsdatabase ↺ since 08-01

Aurora DSQL expands multi-Region cluster support to Stockholm, Spain, Mumbai, Singapore

Amazon Aurora DSQL now supports multi-Region clusters in Europe (Stockholm), Europe (Spain), Asia Pacific (Mumbai), and Asia Pacific (Singapore). This serverless distributed SQL database offers active-active high availability and multi-Region strong consistency. Each multi-Region cluster provides a writable endpoint in both peered Regions, presenting a single logical database that remains available even if one Region becomes unavailable.

  • Aurora DSQL multi-Region clusters are now available in Stockholm, Spain, Mumbai, and Singapore.
  • Each multi-Region cluster provides a writable endpoint in both peered Regions.
  • The database presents a single logical database that remains available even if one Region fails.
  • Aurora DSQL is the fastest serverless, distributed SQL database with active-active high availability.
  • Multi-Region strong consistency is maintained across the peered Regions.
TRADE-OFFMulti-Region Cluster BenefitsTraditional SetupSingle Region dependencyComplex failover logicData consistency challengesAurora DSQLActive-active high availabilityStrong consistency across regionsSingle logical database viewvs
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Percona Blog database ↺ since 08-01

Percona Server MySQL stored procedure memory consumption findings

Percona published an investigation into the memory usage of stored procedures within Percona Server for MySQL. The analysis originated from performance comparisons of different memory allocators during benchmarking. The authors highlight unexpected memory effects discovered during this process that warrant detailed examination.

  • Memory allocation behavior for stored procedures may differ from expectations.
  • Memory allocator choice can significantly impact server resource consumption.
  • Benchmarking should include detailed memory profiling for stored logic.
  • Review Percona's specific allocator implementations for optimization opportunities.
CHECKLISTOptimize Stored Procedure MemoryProfile memory usage during benchmarksCompare different memory allocatorsReview Percona allocator implementationsExpect unexpected memory effects
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