PostgreSQL 9.0 released

The PostgreSQL Global Development Group has announced the release of PostgreSQL 9.0, the latest version of their open source relational database.

This major release features advances in security, application support, monitoring, performance, and storage of specialty data. The group says users are particularly excited about PostgreSQL 9.0's new replication and hot standby capabilities, which will accelerate adoption in cloud hosting and scalable applications.

"The built-in replication in 9.0 and ability to query a hot standby have been the most requested PostgreSQL features for many years," said Simon Riggs, CTO of 2ndQuadrant and lead contributor to hot standby. "Efficient, low latency streaming replication protects your data better, while hot standby significantly reduces total cost of ownership. In proprietary products, this capability is an add-on which costs thousands of dollars."

PostgreSQL 9.0 includes more than a dozen other major improvements that will enhance every aspect of database application design and performance, including 64-bit Windows support, conditional and per-column triggers, upgrade-in-place from 8.3 and 8.4, deferrable unique constraints, and high-performance event messaging.

"As one of the world's largest operators of core Internet infrastructure registries, Afilias is pleased to see PostgreSQL 9.0 add in-place upgrades, which allow us to upgrade to new versions of the database system with minimal disruption to our 16-million-strong domain name database," said Afilias CTO Ram Mohan.

Thanks to the contributions of developers and companies around the world, such as NTT Open Source, EnterpriseDB, 2ndQuadrant, Red Hat and many others, user adoption and development momentum is greater than ever.