Amazon RDS PostgreSQL Destination Setup Guide

Follow our setup guide to connect Amazon RDS PostgreSQL database as a destination to Fivetran.

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Prerequisites

To connect Amazon RDS PostgreSQL to Fivetran, you need the following:

• PostgreSQL version 7.3 or above
• Database host's IP (e.g., 1.2.3.4) or domain (your.server.com)
• Port (usually 5432)
• Fivetran role with the permissions

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Setup instructions

Choose connection method

Decide whether to connect to your Amazon RDS PostgreSQL database directly, using an SSH tunnel, or using AWS PrivateLink. For more information, see our .

Connect directly

If you connect directly, you must create a rule in a security group that allows Fivetran access to your database instance and port.

Configure your firewall and/or other access control systems to allow:

• incoming connections to your host and port (usually 5432) from for your database's region
• outgoing connections from all ports (1024 to 65535) to

Connect using an SSH tunnel

If you connect using an SSH tunnel, Fivetran connects to a separate server in your network that provides an SSH tunnel to your Amazon RDS PostgreSQL database. You must then configure your tunnel server's security group to allow Fivetran access and configure the instance's security to allow access from the tunnel.

You must connect through SSH if your database is contained within an inaccessible subnet.

To connect using SSH, do the following:

1. In the , select the Connect via an SSH tunnel option.

2. Copy Fivetran's public SSH key.

3. Add the public key to the authorized_keys file of your SSH server. The key must be all on one line, so make sure that you don't introduce any line breaks when cutting and pasting.

Connect using AWS PrivateLink Beta

IMPORTANT: You must have a Business Critical plan to use AWS PrivateLink.

AWS PrivateLink allows VPCs and AWS-hosted or on-premises services to communicate with one another without exposing traffic to the public internet. PrivateLink is the most secure connection method. Learn more in .

Follow to configure PrivateLink for your destination.

Allow Fivetran access

You must allow Fivetran access to your Amazon RDS PostgreSQL database:

• If your instance is in a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), you must configure:

  • VPC Security Groups
  • Network Access Control Lists (ACLs)

• If your instance is not in a VPC, then you only need to configure Security Groups

Configure Security Group

The following instructions assume that your database is in a VPC.

NOTE: You can use these instructions to configure a non-VPC security group because the process is almost identical.

1. Log in to your .

2. In the Databases pane, expand the view on the database.

   

3. In the Connectivity & security section, find the database's port number and make a note of it. You will need the port number to configure Fivetran.

   

4. Click the VPC security groups link.

   

5. In the Security Groups section, go to the Inbound rules tab.

   

6. Click Edit inbound rules.

   

7. Click Add Rule.

   

   A new Custom TCP Rule is created at the bottom of the list with a blank space for a Port Range and a Source IP address.

8. Enter the following details:

   • In the Port Range field, enter the port number that you noted earlier (usually 5432)
   • In the Source field, select Custom IP and then enter

   

9. Click Save rules.

   

Configure Network ACLs

1. Return to the RDS dashboard and expand the view on the database.

   

2. Click the VPC link.

   

3. Select the VPC ID.

   

4. In the Summary tab, click the Network ACL link.

   

5. Go to Inbound Rules tab.

   

   • If you have a default VPC that was automatically created by AWS, then the settings already allow all incoming traffic as indicated by the Source value 0.0.0.0/0 and the fact that the ALLOW entry is listed above the DENY entry.

     

   • If your inbound rules don't include an ALL - 0.0.0.0/0 - ALLOW entry, edit the rules to allow to access the port number of your database (usually 5432).

   NOTE: See for more information.

6. Go to the Outbound Rules tab.

   

   • If your outbound rules don't include an ALL - 0.0.0.0/0 - ALLOW entry, click Edit to edit the rules to allow outbound traffic to all ports 1024-65535 for Destination {your-ssh-tunnel-ip-address}/32.

Create Fivetran user

1. Connect to your Amazon RDS PostgreSQL database and execute the following query to create a user for Fivetran. Choose a memorable username (for example, fivetran). Replace <password> with a password of your choice:

   CREATE USER fivetran PASSWORD <password>;
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2. Execute the following query to grant the fivetran user the following privileges:

   • CREATE: Allows the user to create new schemas in the database
   • TEMPORARY: Allows the user to create temporary tables while using the database

   GRANT CREATE, TEMPORARY ON DATABASE <database> TO fivetran;
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Complete Fivetran configuration

1. Log in to your Fivetran account.
2. Go to the , then click + Add Destination.
3. On the Add destination to your account page, enter a Destination name of your choice.
4. Click Add.
5. Select Postgres RDS as the destination type.
6. In the destination setup form, enter the Host name or the IP address of the database server.
7. Enter the Port number. For example, 5432.
8. Enter the User name you created in .
9. Enter your Password.
10. Enter the Database name you want to replicate to.
11. Choose your Connection method:
    • Connect directly
    • Connect via an SSH
    • Connect via Private Networking

    NOTE: The Connect via Private Networking option is available only for Business Critical accounts.

12. If you choose Connect via an SSH tunnel in the Connection method drop-down menu, enter the following details:
    • SSH Host
    • SSH Port
    • SSH User
    • (Optional) Enable the Require TLS through tunnel toggle if you want to use TLS.
13. Choose the Data processing location. Depending on the plan you are on and your selected cloud service provider, you may also need to choose a Cloud service provider and cloud region as described in our .

    IMPORTANT: If you are using , select AWS in the Cloud service provider drop-down menu.

14. Choose your Time zone.
15. (Optional for Business Critical accounts) To enable , set the Use Failover toggle to ON, and then select your Failover Location and Failover Region. Make note of the IP addresses of the secondary region and safelist these addresses in your firewall.
16. Click Save & Test.

Fivetran the Amazon RDS PostgreSQL destination connection. On successful completion of the setup tests, you can sync your data using Fivetran connectors to the Amazon RDS PostgreSQL destination.

Setup tests

Fivetran performs the following Amazon RDS PostgreSQL connection tests:

• The SSH Tunnel Test validates the SSH tunnel details you provided in the setup form and then checks the connectivity to the instance using the SSH Tunnel if you are connecting using an SSH tunnel.

• The Database Host Connection Test validates the database credentials you provided in the setup form. The test verifies that the host is not private and then checks the connectivity to the host.

• The Certificate Validation Test generates a pop-up window where you must choose which certificate you want Fivetran to use. The test then validates that certificate and checks that we can connect to your database using TLS. We skip this test if you aren't connecting directly.

• The Permission Test checks that we have the correct permissions to create schemas and tables in your database.

  NOTE: The tests may take a couple of minutes to finish running.

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