---
id: overview
title: Azure PostgreSQL 13 to 16 Upgrade
---
import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';
This comprehensive guide covers upgrading your Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server from version 13 to 16 and configuring SSL connections for ToolJet across different Azure deployment methods: Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure Container Instances.
## Pre Requisites
- Existing ToolJet deployment with PostgreSQL 13 on Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server
- Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server 13 instance
- Administrative access to your deployment environment
- Backup of your existing database
- Azure CLI (`az`) installed and configured
- Appropriate Azure RBAC permissions for PostgreSQL operations
## Critical Safety Measures and Testing Strategy
**NOTE**: Before upgrading your production database, follow this comprehensive safety and testing approach:
### Phase 1: Production Database Point-in-Time Restore Testing
1. Create Production Database Point-in-Time Restore
1. Navigate to **Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server** in the Azure Portal
2. Select your production PostgreSQL 13 instance
3. Click **Restore** in the toolbar
4. Select **Point-in-time restore**
5. Configure restore settings:
- **Server name**: `production-pg13-test-restore`
- **Restore point**: Choose a recent timestamp (within the last 7 days)
- **Location**: Same as production (or different for isolation)
- **Compute + storage**: Same as production (or smaller for testing)
- **Networking**: Same VNet configuration as production
6. Click **Review + create**
7. Click **Create**
8. Wait for restoration completion (10-30 minutes depending on database size)
```bash
# Create a point-in-time restore of your production database for testing
az postgres flexible-server restore \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name production-pg13-test-restore \
--source-server your-production-server \
--restore-time "2024-12-01T10:00:00Z" \
--location eastus
# Monitor restore progress
az postgres flexible-server show \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name production-pg13-test-restore \
--query "state"
```
2. Enable Required Extensions (For New Database Instances)
:::note
If you're creating a new database instance for testing instead of using a point-in-time restore, you'll need to enable the required extensions that ToolJet depends on.
:::
1. **Navigate to your test database instance**:
- Go to **Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server** → **Servers**
- Select your database instance
2. **Enable Extensions**:
- Go to **Settings** → **Server parameters**
- Search for **azure.extensions**
- In the **Value** field, add the following extensions (comma-separated):
```
citext,pg_cron,pgcrypto,uuid-ossp
```
- Click **Save**
- Wait for the server to restart (this may take a few minutes)
```bash
# Enable required extensions for ToolJet
az postgres flexible-server parameter set \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--server-name production-pg13-test-restore \
--name azure.extensions \
--value "citext,pg_cron,pgcrypto,uuid-ossp"
```
3. **Verify Extensions** (after server restart):
```bash
# Connect to database and verify extensions are available
psql "postgresql://username:password@production-pg13-test-restore.postgres.database.azure.com:5432/database?sslmode=require" -c "SELECT name FROM pg_available_extensions WHERE name IN ('citext', 'pg_cron', 'pgcrypto', 'uuid-ossp') ORDER BY name;"
```
:::note
Point-in-time restores automatically inherit the extensions configuration from the source server, so this step is typically only needed for new database instances.
:::
4. Upgrade Test Database to PostgreSQL 16
:::note
[Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server Major Version Upgrade Guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/flexible-server/how-to-perform-major-version-upgrade?tabs=portal-major-version-upgrade)
:::
1. **Navigate to your test restore instance**:
- Go to **Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server** → **Servers**
- Select your test restore: `production-pg13-test-restore`
2. **Verify server is ready**:
- Ensure server status shows **Available**
- Check that there are no ongoing operations
3. **Start the upgrade process**:
- In the **Overview** section, look for the **Upgrade** option
- Click **Upgrade**
- Alternatively, go to **Settings** → **Server parameters** and look for upgrade options
4. **Choose database version**:
- **Current version** will show: PostgreSQL 13
- **Target version**: Select **PostgreSQL 16**
- Review the upgrade notes:
- ⚠️ **The major version upgrade action is irreversible**
- Server name remains unchanged after upgrade
- Minor version will be the most recent supported
5. **Confirm upgrade**:
- Review all settings and warnings
- Click **Upgrade** to begin the process
6. **Monitor upgrade progress**:
- Wait for upgrade completion (15-45 minutes depending on database size)
- Server status will show **Updating** during upgrade
- Verify **PostgreSQL version** shows **16.x** in server details once complete
```bash
# Upgrade the test restore to PostgreSQL 16
az postgres flexible-server upgrade \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name production-pg13-test-restore \
--version 16
# Monitor upgrade progress
az postgres flexible-server show \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name production-pg13-test-restore \
--query "{name:name,state:state,version:version}"
```
### Phase 2: Staging Environment Testing
:::warning
Before upgrading your production database, you MUST thoroughly test the upgrade process and application functionality in a staging environment using the restored and upgraded test database.
:::
5. Deploy Staging ToolJet Instance
1. **Set up staging environment** using your preferred deployment method:
- **Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)**: Follow AKS deployment section below
- **Azure Container Instances**: Follow Azure Container deployment section below
2. **Configure staging to use the upgraded test database**:
- Update your configuration files (.env, ConfigMaps, deployment templates, etc.)
- Use the test database connection details: `production-pg13-test-restore.postgres.database.azure.com`
- Configure SSL requirements as detailed in your deployment method section
6. Comprehensive Staging Testing
**Test all critical functionality:**
1. **Application Startup**:
```bash
# Verify ToolJet starts successfully (adjust command based on deployment method)
# AKS: kubectl logs deployment/tooljet -n tooljet | grep "TOOLJET APPLICATION STARTED SUCCESSFULLY"
# ACI: az container logs --resource-group rg --name tooljet | grep "TOOLJET APPLICATION STARTED SUCCESSFULLY"
```
2. **Database Connectivity Testing**:
```bash
# Test connection to upgraded database
psql "postgresql://username:password@production-pg13-test-restore.postgres.database.azure.com:5432/database?sslmode=require" -c "SELECT version();"
# Should show: PostgreSQL 16.x
```
3. **Feature Testing Checklist**:
- [ ] User login and authentication
- [ ] Workspace creation and access
- [ ] Application building and editing
- [ ] Data source connections
- [ ] Query execution and data display
- [ ] User management and permissions
- [ ] Application deployment and sharing
- [ ] API functionality
- [ ] File uploads and downloads
- [ ] Email notifications (if configured)
4. **Performance Testing**:
- Monitor response times for common operations
- Check query performance improvements
- Verify memory usage is stable
- Test with realistic data volumes
5. **SSL Connection Validation**:
- Verify no SSL connection errors in logs
- Test that `PGSSLMODE=require` works correctly
- Confirm secure connections are established
### Phase 3: Production Upgrade Planning
7. Document Findings and Plan Production Upgrade
1. **Create test results document**:
```
PostgreSQL 16 Upgrade Test Results - Azure
=========================================
Test Environment:
- Database: production-pg13-test-restore (PITR from production)
- ToolJet Version: [version]
- Deployment Method: [AKS/Azure Container Instances]
- Test Date: [date]
- Azure Region: [region]
Functionality Test Results:
- User Authentication: ✅ Working
- Workspace Access: ✅ Working
- Application Building: ✅ Working
- Data Sources: ✅ Working
- SSL Connectivity: ✅ Working with PGSSLMODE=require
- [Add all test results...]
Performance Observations:
- Query Response Time: [improvement/same/degradation]
- Application Load Time: [timing]
- Memory Usage: [stable/issues]
- CPU Usage: [stable/issues]
Issues Found: [None / List any issues]
Recommended Production Upgrade: ✅ Proceed / ❌ Needs fixes
```
2. **Plan production maintenance window**:
```bash
# Based on staging test results, plan for:
# - Database upgrade time: ~15-45 minutes (depending on size)
# - Application configuration updates: ~5-10 minutes
# - SSL connection verification: ~5 minutes
# - Testing and verification: ~10-15 minutes
# Total estimated downtime: 35-75 minutes
```
### Phase 4: Production Upgrade Execution
8. Communicate and Execute Production Upgrade
1. **User Communication Requirements**:
- **Inform all users** about the planned maintenance window
- **Provide alternate contact methods** during downtime
- **Set status page updates** if available
2. **Execute production upgrade** following the exact same steps as tested in staging
### Additional Safety Measures
#### Rollback Strategy
:::warning
**The major version upgrade action is irreversible** according to Azure documentation.
:::
Preparation for rollback (**MUST be done before upgrade**):
1. **Create a Point-in-Time Restore backup** before upgrade:
- Keep original PostgreSQL 13 server available (don't delete immediately)
- Ensure recent backups are available for restoration
- Document exact restore point timestamp
If issues are discovered during production upgrade:
1. Restore to new server from backup
```bash
# Restore from backup to a new server
az postgres flexible-server restore \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name emergency-restore-server \
--source-server your-production-server \
--restore-time "2024-12-01T10:00:00Z"
# Update ToolJet configuration to point to emergency restore server
```
2. Use pre-upgrade Point-in-Time Restore
- If you created a PITR backup before upgrade, restore from that point
- Update ToolJet application configuration to use the restored server
- Resume operations on PostgreSQL 13 until issues are resolved
#### Post-Upgrade Monitoring
1. Azure Portal Monitoring:
1. Go to **Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server** → Your database
2. Click on **Monitoring** tab
3. Watch these metrics:
- **CPU percentage**
- **Memory percentage**
- **Active connections**
- **Read/Write IOPS**
- **Network In/Out**
2. Application Monitoring (adjust commands based on deployment method):
```bash
# Check application logs
# AKS: kubectl logs deployment/tooljet -n tooljet --tail=50
# ACI: az container logs --resource-group rg --name tooljet --tail 50
# Verify database version
psql "postgresql://user:pass@server.postgres.database.azure.com:5432/db?sslmode=require" -c "SELECT version();"
```
#### Cleanup After Successful Upgrade
After 1-2 weeks of stable operation:
1. **Delete test restore server**:
```bash
# Delete the test restore instance
az postgres flexible-server delete \
--resource-group your-resource-group \
--name production-pg13-test-restore
```
2. **Review backup retention settings**: Ensure automated backups are configured appropriately