Database Technology

PostgreSQL 19's release timeline has slipped because automated tools and AI are uncovering more bugs during the testing phase than in previous cycles. The increased scrutiny means the core team is spending more time fixing issues to ensure stability before shipping.

• Expect a longer beta cycle for Postgres 19 as more defects are caught early
• AI and automated testing are increasing the volume of reported bugs
• Core team is prioritizing stability over strict release deadlines
• Plan for potential delays in adopting new features from PG19

Fleet impact: Monitor the official PostgreSQL 19 release date closely; if you are planning an upgrade from PG16/17, assume a later GA than usual and adjust your maintenance windows. Validate your existing automated testing pipelines to ensure they can handle a higher volume of regression tests during the extended beta period.

Percona has updated PSMDB Sandbox, a lightweight web interface built on Terraform and Ansible for MongoDB automation. The tool has undergone significant changes over the past six months, including a name and repository update. It now supports a broader range of Percona products, MongoDB features, and deployment platforms.

• Web UI now automates deployment across multiple Percona products, not just MongoDB
• Project repository and naming conventions have been updated since initial launch
• Expanded platform compatibility increases flexibility for mixed-stack environments

Percona has upgraded its MongoDB cluster benchmarking tool, PLGM, transitioning from a CLI-only utility to one with a graphical interface. The tool continues to focus on testing with custom schemas and queries rather than synthetic data. This update aims to simplify configuration and result analysis for database performance engineers.

• PLGM moves beyond CLI-only usage with a new user interface
• Maintains focus on realistic benchmarking using custom schemas and queries
• Simplifies YAML configuration and result interpretation for MongoDB clusters
• Targets performance engineers needing tailored load tests over generic benchmarks

Setting the row_security GUC to off does not disable row-level security as one might expect. Instead, it causes an error to be raised whenever a security policy would otherwise apply to a query.

• row_security = off prevents RLS enforcement by erroring out, not by ignoring policies
• This behavior acts as a safety mechanism to avoid accidental data exposure
• DBAs must handle exceptions when testing or migrating policies with this GUC set
• Understanding this distinction is critical for debugging RLS-related application failures

Fleet impact: For PostgreSQL instances on RDS or Aurora, verify that application logic correctly handles errors when row_security is toggled off for maintenance. Ensure migration scripts do not assume this setting silently bypasses policies, which could halt critical operations.

Amazon RDS for Oracle now allows disabling automatic minor version upgrades for instances using JVM, Spatial, Locator, or OLAP options. This change grants administrators direct control over upgrade timing, whereas these options previously forced automatic minor version enforcement. Users who opt out of automatic upgrades must manually schedule regular patching to maintain security compliance.

• Disables mandatory auto-minor upgrades for JVM, Spatial, Locator, and OLAP RDS Oracle instances
• Provides control over upgrade windows for specialized Oracle features
• Requires manual scheduling of minor versions if auto-upgrades are turned off
• Available in all commercial AWS Regions and AWS GovCloud
• AWS Organizations rollout policies can still manage upgrade order if auto-upgrades remain on

Fleet impact: Review RDS Oracle instances using JVM, Spatial, Locator, or OLAP to align upgrade policies with maintenance windows, ensuring manual patching schedules are in place if automatic minor version upgrades are disabled to maintain security baselines.

Amazon RDS for Oracle now offers the September 2026 Monthly Recommended Patch for versions 19c and 26ai. This minor engine update layers the September Critical Security Patch Update and additional fixes on top of the July 2026 Release Update. The patch also incorporates DST version 46, updating daylight saving time rules for regions like British Columbia and Alberta effective November 2026.

• Applies September 2026 CSPU and recommended fixes to Oracle 19c and 26ai
• Builds on the July 2026 Release Update as a minor engine version
• Includes DST v46 with new daylight saving rules for Canadian provinces
• AWS recommends immediate upgrade to address latest security vulnerabilities

Fleet impact: Schedule maintenance windows to apply the September 2026 MRP to RDS Oracle instances to close security gaps and align with DST v46 changes. Validate that the new daylight saving rules for Canadian regions do not disrupt scheduled jobs or time-sensitive queries in your RDS fleet.

The E-Maj PostgreSQL extension has released version 5.0.1 to address a security flaw present in all prior iterations. This vulnerability potentially allowed users to escalate to superuser privileges under specific conditions. Immediate patching is advised for any environment using this extension for write logging or time travel.

• Critical privilege escalation flaw fixed in E-Maj 5.0.1
• All previous versions are vulnerable to potential superuser access
• Update immediately to mitigate security risks
• Supports PostgreSQL 14 through 19

Fleet impact: If you use E-Maj for audit logging or time travel on your RDS or ExaCC instances, patch immediately to prevent privilege escalation. Verify that no unauthorized superuser accounts were created prior to the update.