Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL (HP) (v2)

Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL feature snapshot

A high-level look at Stitch's Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL (v2) integration, including release status, useful links, and the features supported in Stitch.

Connecting Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL

Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL setup requirements

To set up Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL in Stitch, you need:

• Permissions in Google Cloud that allow you to modify the database’s connection settings. This is required to whitelist Stitch’s IP addresses.

• Permissions in PostgreSQL that allow you to create users. This is required to create a database user for Stitch.

• If using Log-based Replication, you’ll need:

  • A database running PostgreSQL 9.4 or greater Earlier versions of PostgreSQL do not include logical replication functionality, which is required for Log-based Replication.
  • The cloudsqlsuperuser role. If using logical replication, this is required to create a logical replication slot for Stitch.
  • To connect to the master instance. Log-based replication will only work on master instances due to a feature gap in PostgreSQL 10. Based on their forums, PostgreSQL is working on adding support for using logical replication on a read replica to a future version.

• If you’re not using Log-based Replication, you’ll need:

  • A database running PostgreSQL 9.3.x or greater. PostgreSQL 9.3.x is the minimum version Stitch supports for PostgreSQL integrations.
  • To verify if the database is a read replica, or follower. While we always recommend connecting a replica over a production database, this also means you may need to verify some of its settings - specifically the max_standby_streaming_delay and max_standby_archive_delay settings - before connecting it to Stitch. We recommend setting these parameters to 8-12 hours for an initial replication job, and then decreasing them afterwards.

Step 1: Verify your Stitch account's data pipeline region

First, you’ll log into Stitch and verify the data pipeline region your account is using. Later in this guide, you’ll need to grant Stitch access by whitelisting our IP addresses.

The IP addresses you’ll whitelist depend on the Data pipeline region your account is in.

1. Sign into your Stitch account, if you haven’t already.
2. Click User menu (your icon) > Edit User Settings and locate the Data pipeline region section to verify your account’s region.

3. Locate the list of IP addresses for your region:

   • North America region IP addresses

   • Europe region IP addresses

Keep this list handy - you’ll need it later.

Step 2: Configure database connection settings

For Stitch to successfully connect with your CloudSQL instance, you’ll need to add our IP addresses to the database’s authorized networks list.

1. Sign into your Google Cloud Platform account.
2. Navigate to the Cloud SQL Instances page.
3. Click the instance name to open its details page.
4. Click the Connections tab.
5. Locate the Public IP section.

6. For each of the Stitch data pipeline region IP addresses you retrieved in Step 1, complete the following:

   1. Click + Add network.
   2. In the Name field, enter a name for the IP address. For example: Stitch 1 for the first IP address, Stitch 2 for the second, and so on.
   3. In the Network field, paste one of the IP addresses for your Stitch data pipeline region that you retrieved in Step 1.
   4. Click Done.
   5. Repeat these steps until all of Stitch’s IP addresses for your data pipeline region have been added.
7. When finished, click Save to update the instance.

Step 3: Create a Stitch database user

In this step, you’ll create a dedicated database user for Stitch. This will ensure Stitch is visible in any logs or audits, and allow you to maintain your privilege hierarchy.

• Instructions
• Privileges list

ALTER USER <stitch_username> WITH REPLICATION;

Step 4: Configure Log-based Incremental Replication

While Log-based Incremental Replication is the most accurate and efficient method of replication, using this replication method may, at times, require manual intervention or impact the source database’s performance. Refer to the Log-based Incremental Replication documentation for more info.

You can also use one of Stitch’s other Replication Methods, which don’t require any database configuration. Replication Methods can be changed at any time.

In this section:

• Step 4.1: Enable the logical replication setting

• Step 4.2: Restart the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL instance

• Step 4.3: Create a replication slot

Step 4.1: Enable the logical replication setting

To use Log-based Replication for your Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL integration, you’ll update the cloudsql.logical_decoding flag for your database to on. This enables the wal2json extension for your instance, which is what Stitch uses to perform Log-based Incremental Replication.

You can set a database flag using the CloudSQL Console or gcloud. We’re going to use the Console Method.

1. In the window where your Google Cloud Platform account is open, navigate to the page of the instance you’re connecting.
2. Click Edit.
3. Scroll down to the Flags section.
4. Click Add Item, choose cloudsql.logical_decoding, and set its value to on.
5. Confirm the change on the Overview page.

Step 4.2: Restart the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL instance

For the flag changes to take effect, you’ll need to restart your Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL instance.

1. On the instance page in Google Cloud Platform, click the Restart button in the bar at the top of the page.
2. In the Restart database instance box, click Restart.

After the instance has restarted, move onto the next step.

Step 4.3: Create a replication slot

Next, you’ll create a dedicated logical replication slot for Stitch. In PostgreSQL, a logical replication slot represents a stream of database changes that can then be replayed to a client in the order they were made on the original server. Each slot streams a sequence of changes from a single database.

Note: Replication slots are specific to a given database in a cluster. If you want to connect multiple databases - whether in one integration or several - you’ll need to create a replication slot for each database.

1. Log into the master database as a user with the cloudsqlsuperuser role.
2. Using wal2json, create a logical replication slot:

   • If you’re connecting multiple databases, you’ll need to run this command for every database you want to connect, replacing <raw_database_name> with the name of the database:

     SELECT *
     FROM pg_create_logical_replication_slot('stitch_<raw_database_name>', 'wal2json');
     

     This will create a replication slot named stitch_<raw_database_name>.

   • If you’re connecting a single database, run the following command:

     SELECT *
     FROM pg_create_logical_replication_slot('stitch', 'wal2json');
     

     This will create a replication slot named stitch.

3. Log in as the Stitch user and verify you can read from the replication slot, replacing <replication_slot_name> with the name of the replication slot:

   SELECT COUNT(*)
   FROM pg_logical_slot_peek_changes('<replication_slot_name>', null, null);
   

   If connecting multiple databases, you should verify that the Stitch user can read from each of the replication slots you created.

Note: wal2json is required to use Log-based replication in Stitch for PostgreSQL-backed databases.

Step 5: Connect Stitch

In this step, you’ll complete the setup by entering the database’s connection details and defining replication settings in Stitch.

• Step 5.1: Locate the database connection details in Google

• Step 5.2: Define the database connection details in Stitch

• Step 5.3: Define the SSL connection details

• Step 5.4: Create a replication schedule

• Step 5.5: Save the integration

Step 5.1: Locate the database connection details in Google

In this step, you’ll locate the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL database’s public IP address in the Google Cloud Platform console. This will be used to complete the setup in Stitch.

1. In the CloudSQL Instances page, locate the instance you want to connect to Stitch.
2. When the instance’s Overview page displays, scroll down to the Connect to this instance section.
3. Locate the Public IP address field.
4. Copy and paste the public IP address into a text file or leave this page open and open your Stitch account in another tab.

Step 5.2: Define the database connection details in Stitch

1. If you aren’t signed into your Stitch account, sign in now.

2. On the Stitch Dashboard page, click the Add Integration button.

3. Locate and click the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL icon.

4. Fill in the fields as follows:

   • Integration Name: Enter a name for the integration. This is the name that will display on the Stitch Dashboard for the integration; it’ll also be used to create the schema in your destination.

     For example, the name “Stitch Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL” would create a schema called stitch_google_cloudsql_postgresql in the destination. Note: The schema name cannot be changed after the integration is saved.

   • Host (Endpoint): Enter the host address (endpoint) of your Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL instance. This will be the value of the Public IP address that you retrieved in the previous step.

   • Port: Enter the port used by the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL instance. The default is 5432.

   • Username: Enter the Stitch Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL database user’s username.

   • Password: Enter the password for the Stitch Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL database user.

   • **: Enter the name of the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL database you want to connect to Stitch. Stitch will ‘find’ all databases you give the Stitch user access to - a default database is only used to complete the connection. This is required for Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL integrations.

   • Include PostgreSQL schema names in destination tables: Checking this setting will include schema names from the source database in the destination table name - for example: <source_schema_name>__<table_name>.

     Stitch loads all selected replicated tables to a single schema, preserving only the table name. If two tables canonicalize to the same name - even if they’re in different source databases or schemas - name collision errors can arise. Checking this setting can prevent these issues.

     Note: This setting can not be changed after the integration is saved. Additionally, this setting may create table names that exceed your destination’s limits. For more info, refer to the Database Integration Table Name Collisions guide.

Step 5.3: Define the SSL connection details

Click the Connect using SSL checkbox if you’re using an SSL connection. Note: The database must support and allow SSL connections for this setting to work correctly.

Addititionally, the instance shouldn’t require SSL connections or you’ll receive the following error in Stitch:

Fatal Error Occured - FATAL: connection requires a valid client certificate

Step 5.4: Create a replication schedule

In the Replication Frequency section, you’ll create the integration’s replication schedule. An integration’s replication schedule determines how often Stitch runs a replication job, and the time that job begins.

Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL integrations support the following replication scheduling methods:

• Replication Frequency

• Anchor Scheduling

• Advanced Scheduling using Cron (Advanced or Premium plans only)

To keep your row usage low, consider setting the integration to replicate less frequently. See the Understanding and Reducing Your Row Usage guide for tips on reducing your usage.

Step 5.5: Save the integration

When finished, click Check and Save.

Stitch will perform a connection test to the Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL database; if successful, a Success! message will display at the top of the screen. Note: This test may take a few minutes to complete.

Step 6: Select data to replicate

The last step is to select the tables and columns you want to replicate.

Note: If a replication job is currently in progress, new selections won’t be used until the next job starts.

• Selection options
• Individual tables and columns
• All tables and columns
• Database views

Initial and historical replication jobs

After you finish setting up Google CloudSQL PostgreSQL, its Sync Status may show as Pending on either the Stitch Dashboard or in the Integration Details page.

For a new integration, a Pending status indicates that Stitch is in the process of scheduling the initial replication job for the integration. This may take some time to complete.

Free historical data loads

The first seven days of replication, beginning when data is first replicated, are free. Rows replicated from the new integration during this time won’t count towards your quota. Stitch offers this as a way of testing new integrations, measuring usage, and ensuring historical data volumes don’t quickly consume your quota.

Did this article help? If you have questions or feedback, feel free to submit a pull request with your suggestions, open an issue on GitHub, or reach out to us.