FAQ
Frequently asked questions about dba.ai
dba.ai is an AI-powered PostgreSQL database assistant that continuously monitors your database, detects issues, and provides solutions automatically. It combines deep PostgreSQL expertise with AI capabilities to help teams maintain optimal database performance without requiring dedicated database administrators.
dba.ai supports multiple PostgreSQL providers: - AWS RDS for PostgreSQL - Tembo Cloud - Supabase - Self-hosted PostgreSQL via direct connection string We’re constantly adding more cloud providers. Contact us if your provider isn’t listed.
dba.ai offers several secure connection methods: - Direct connection using a standard PostgreSQL connection string - AWS IAM integration for enhanced RDS capabilities - GitHub integration for code-based fixes - Cloud provider API integrations for deeper system-level insights All connections use TLS encryption and follow the principle of least privilege with read-only access by default.
Yes, security is a core principle of dba.ai: - All connections are encrypted using TLS - We recommend using read-only database users - No sensitive data is extracted from your database - We follow SOC 2 security best practices - Your database credentials are encrypted at rest - We never store query results Learn more in our security documentation.
dba.ai supports PostgreSQL versions 10 and above. We recommend using the latest stable version (currently PostgreSQL 16) for access to all features and optimizations. The AI agent adjusts its recommendations based on your specific PostgreSQL version.
Yes and no. Horizontal AI engineers are designed to handle any coding task you throw at them. But you have to do the throwing. This human-led workflow is great for new products and new features. Coding agents can fix performance issues too, if you specifically ask them to. But you likely won’t, because you’re consumed with building new features and (reluctantly) fixing bugs. dba.ai handles performance engineering autonomously — detecting issues, gathering context and best practices, and submitting code fixes to you. It’s not magic, it’s just a continuous engine with the right inputs that produces excellent PRs.
dba.ai uses multiple detection methods: 1. Metric monitoring - Tracking database performance metrics over time 2. Log analysis - Processing PostgreSQL logs for errors and warnings 3. Query profiling - Identifying slow or problematic queries 4. Configuration analysis - Checking for suboptimal PostgreSQL settings 5. Resource utilization - Monitoring CPU, memory, and disk usage When an issue is detected, the AI analyzes the root cause and generates appropriate solutions.
dba.ai provides several implementation methods based on your preferences: 1. GitHub pull requests - Code-based fixes submitted as PRs 2. SQL script generation - Ready-to-run SQL scripts with your approval 3. Configuration recommendations - Detailed guides for settings changes 4. Manual guidance - Step-by-step instructions for complex issues You always have full control to review and approve any changes before they’re applied.
dba.ai leverages powerful foundation models from Anthropic and OpenAI, combined with our specialized knowledge base. We continuously update our knowledge with: - Official PostgreSQL documentation - PostgreSQL mailing lists and forums - Academic research papers - Industry best practices - Real-world case studies - Community contributions This ensures our recommendations reflect the latest PostgreSQL techniques and best practices.
Yes, dba.ai complements your existing monitoring stack: - Prometheus/Grafana - Extract additional insights from your metrics - AWS CloudWatch - Integrate with your existing AWS monitoring - Application monitoring tools - Correlate database issues with application performance dba.ai doesn’t replace your existing tools but adds AI-powered analysis and recommendations on top of them.
No, dba.ai is designed to be accessible to developers without specialized database knowledge. The AI explains issues and solutions in clear language, providing educational context alongside recommendations. However, teams with database expertise can still benefit from the automation and continuous monitoring capabilities while maintaining full control over implementation decisions.
Not yet. LLM rate limits are dba.ai’s primary product bottleneck. If you’re willing to bring your own Anthropic key, you’ll get a fastpass through the waitlist and enhanced prioritization for operations.
Yes, dba.ai offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card is required to start your trial. After the trial period, you can choose from our flexible pricing plans based on your needs.
Managed PostgreSQL services provide the database infrastructure but still require significant expertise to optimize. dba.ai works alongside these services, adding: 1. Proactive issue detection before they impact users 2. Autonomous problem-solving without human intervention 3. Database-specific AI chat for natural language interaction 4. Contextual recommendations tailored to your specific database 5. Code-level fixes submitted directly to your repositories
Yes, dba.ai can assist with PostgreSQL migrations by: - Analyzing compatibility issues between versions - Recommending schema changes for new versions - Identifying deprecated features in your codebase - Suggesting performance optimizations for the new version - Monitoring post-migration performance Contact us for specialized assistance with complex migrations.
Code repositories are limited to 10,000 files per repository, though this can be adjusted for enterprise plans. To optimize indexing performance, you can use .dbaignore to exclude unnecessary files (like node_modules, vendor directories, etc.) from the indexing process.
Yes, you can map databases to multiple code repositories, and vice versa. It’s a many-to-many relationship, which is particularly useful for microservices architectures where multiple services interact with the same database.
Yes, dba.ai supports common PostgreSQL extensions including: - PostGIS for geospatial data - pgvector for vector embeddings - TimescaleDB for time-series data - pg_stat_statements for query analysis - And many others The AI agent will provide extension-specific recommendations when appropriate.
By default, dba.ai performs: - Real-time monitoring of critical metrics - Hourly checks for performance issues - Daily analysis for optimization opportunities - Weekly index and vacuum maintenance recommendations You can adjust these frequencies in your account settings based on your needs.
😂 dba.ai has the demeanor of an experienced database professional: knowledgeable, slightly sarcastic at times, but ultimately helpful and focused on solving problems. You’ll find it refreshingly direct, occasionally witty, and always informative.
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