| name | pg-replica |
| description | Manage the PostgreSQL 17 read replica on hal9000. Use this skill when asked to check PostgreSQL status, run queries on the replica, view replication lag, manage WAL archives, or interact with the hal9000 database. Always use the helper scripts in the scripts/ directory rather than constructing SSH commands manually. |
PostgreSQL 17 Replica Management
Manage the read replica of Quantierra's PostgreSQL 17 database running on hal9000.
Quick Reference
| Task | Script |
|---|
| Quick status | pg17-status |
| Full status (service + replication) | pg17-full-status |
| Replication lag | pg17-lag |
| Run query | pg17-query "SELECT ..." [database] |
| List databases | pg17-databases |
| List tables | pg17-tables <database> |
| View logs | pg17-logs [lines] |
| WAL archive status | pg17-wal-status |
| Active connections | pg17-connections |
| ZFS snapshots | pg17-snapshots |
Usage
Always use the helper scripts located in .claude/skills/pg-replica/scripts/. These scripts handle SSH connection, proper port (5432), and host (localhost) configuration automatically.
.claude/skills/pg-replica/scripts/pg17-status
.claude/skills/pg-replica/scripts/pg17-query "SELECT count(*) FROM users" quantierra
.claude/skills/pg-replica/scripts/pg17-logs 100
Remote Commands (on hal9000)
For operations not covered by scripts, SSH to hal9000 and use these system commands:
| Command | Description |
|---|
sudo pg17-wal-sync | Trigger WAL sync from S3 |
sudo pg17-create-snapshot | Create ZFS snapshot |
sudo pg17-rollback | Rollback to latest snapshot |
sudo pg17-activate | Promote to writable (stops replication) |
sudo systemctl <action> postgresql-replica | Service control (start/stop/restart) |
Switching Between Standby and Read/Write Modes
The systemd service always starts in standby mode (it creates standby.signal on startup). To switch modes, you must manage postgres manually.
Promote to Read/Write (stop replication)
ssh hal9000 "sudo systemctl stop postgresql-replica"
ssh hal9000 "sudo rm -f /storage-fast/pg_base/standby.signal && sudo -u postgres /run/current-system/sw/bin/postgres -D /storage-fast/pg_base &"
Return to Standby Mode
ssh hal9000 "sudo pkill -u postgres postgres"
ssh hal9000 "sudo systemctl start postgresql-replica"
Note: The pg17-activate script attempts to promote while the service is running, but this conflicts with the pre-start script. For reliable mode switching, use the manual steps above.
Architecture
See architecture.md for detailed infrastructure information.
