Initialize_PostgreSQL_Server

HOW TO initialize PostgreSQL server

• [http://www.postgresql.org/download/ PostgreSQL server] version 7.4 or above must be running either on the local machine or remotely over a TCP/IP port. You should use the --locale=C option when initializing the server with initdb.

• Create user accounts.

• Configure access privileges.

• Restart PostgreSQL server.

Create User Accounts

• Open a shell as user postgres. E.g. (Linux)

[user@localhost]$ su
[root@localhost]$ su postgres
[postgres@localhost]$

• Create a user (lexdb) who will manage the database:

{{{[postgres@localhost]$ createuser --createdb --no-adduser -P lexdb Enter password for new user: Enter it again: CREATE USER}}}

• (Note: setting the password to lexdb will save bother later.)

• Create a user account for yourself (substitute your shell login for USERNAME below):

{{{[postgres@localhost]$ createuser --no-createdb --no-adduser -P USERNAME Enter password for new user: Enter it again: CREATE USER}}}

• (Note: setting the password to match the username will save bother later.)

SET ACCESS PRIVILEGES

PostgreSQL server running on local machine

• Ensure the [http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/interactive/client-authentication.html#AUTH-PG-HBA-CONF access privilege configuration file] $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf contains the following lines:

{{{# TYPE DATABASE USER IP-ADDRESS IP-MASK METHOD

local all all md5 host all all 127.0.0.1 255.255.255.255 md5}}}

• TCP/IP must be enabled. Uncomment the line for TCP/IP in $PGDATA/postgresql.conf so that it reads:

     tcpip_socket = true

• By default the server will run on port 5432. To use another port set the PSQL [http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/interactive/libpq-envars.html environment variable] PGPORT.

PostgreSQL server on remote machine

• Allow remote access to the server by adding lines of the following form to access privilege configuration file $PGDATA/pg_hba.conf:

host    all         all        IP_ADDRESS    255.255.255.255     md5

• TCP/IP must be enabled. Uncomment the line for TCP/IP in $PGDATA/postgresql.conf so that it reads:

  • tcpip_socket = true

• By default the server will run on port 5432. To use another port set the environment variable PGPORT.