Expanding Horizons: PostgreSQL Support in HCL Workload Automation

​In the ever-evolving world of enterprise automation, adaptability and scalability are key to meeting diverse business needs. HCL Workload Automation (HWA), known for its robust scheduling and workload management capabilities, has taken a significant step forward by introducing support for PostgreSQL. This enhancement extends HWA's already extensive database compatibility, which includes DB2, MSSQL, and Oracle.

​In this blog, we explore PostgreSQL, its growing popularity, and the steps needed to install HWA using the Command Line Interface (CLI) with PostgreSQL as the database for the Master Domain Manager (MDM) and Dynamic Workload Console (DWC).
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Overview of PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL, often referred to as Postgres, is a powerful, open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that emphasizes extensibility and SQL compliance. With a history spanning over three decades, PostgreSQL is renowned for its:

1. High Performance: Handles large-scale data efficiently.
2. Extensibility: Supports custom functions, data types, and procedural languages.
3. Reliability: ACID compliance ensures data integrity.
4. Scalability: Adaptable to small applications and enterprise-level implementations.
5. Community Support: Backed by a vibrant global community of developers and contributors.

Why Companies are preferring PostgreSQL
Organizations across industries are embracing PostgreSQL for its unique features and benefits:

• Open-Source Advantage: No licensing costs, making it an economical choice.
• Advanced Features: Built-in JSON support, full-text search, and advanced indexing.
• Cloud Compatibility: Seamless integration with popular cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
• Security: Robust authentication methods and role-based access control.
• Customizability: Adapts to specific business requirements through its rich ecosystem of extensions.

Its reliability and ability to handle both relational and non-relational workloads make PostgreSQL a favourite for modern applications, including HCL Workload Automation.

Installing HCL Workload Automation using CLI
Installing HCL Workload Automation from the command-line interface involves the following steps:

• Downloading installation images
• Prerequisites
• Typical installation scenario
• Installing additional HCL Workload Automation components

While the scenario for a fresh installation of the latest product version of HCL Workload Automation remains pretty much the same as with any other supported database, we will discuss only the changes which are to be done when we want to use the PostgreSQL database for MDM and DWC.

​Figure 1
​Scenario for a fresh typical installation at the latest product version of HCL Workload Automation

For installations using PostgreSQL as the database for MDM and DWC, a few specific steps and commands must be followed.

1. Creating and Populating the Database for Master Domain Manager

When setting up the Master Domain Manager with PostgreSQL, you need to:

• Ensure the database is configured for remote connections.
• Create a dedicated database user (avoid using the default postgres user).

To populate the database tables, run the configureDb command with parameters such as the database hostname, port, and administrator credentials. For detailed steps and command examples, refer to the official documentation for MDM database creation.

1. Creating and Populating the Database for Dynamic Workload Console

Similarly, when configuring PostgreSQL for the Dynamic Workload Console, follow these steps:

• Create and configure a dedicated database user.
• Ensure the database supports remote connections.

Use the configureDb command to set up the DWC database schema with appropriate parameters. For detailed steps and examples, refer to the official documentation for DWC database creation.

​Conclusion
The inclusion of PostgreSQL as a supported database for HWA highlights HCL's commitment to customer-driven innovation and adaptability. PostgreSQL, being a powerful open-source solution, is not only cost-effective— eliminating the need for licensing fees—but also offers a competitive edge by being available as a managed service on leading cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
With its proven reliability and scalability, PostgreSQL is rapidly becoming the preferred choice for customers seeking to modernize their workload automation strategies. By integrating PostgreSQL into their HWA ecosystem, organizations can optimize costs while benefiting from advanced database capabilities, ensuring seamless operations in complex enterprise environments. 
Experience the best of database compatibility with PostgreSQL and HWA, unlocking new horizons in workload automation!

Author

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Mayank Gupta – Senior Software Engineer at HCLSoftware

​Mayank serves as a Senior Software Engineer (Backend Development) in the Bengaluru Engine team of HCL Workload Automation and Universal Orchestrator. He completed his post-graduation at the National Institute of Technology Warangal, India. He is self-driven and passionate about development and cutting-edge technologies. His expertise includes Java, Microservices, Docker, Spring & Spring Boot, Git, Maven, MongoDB, Apache Kafka, and REST APIs.
LinkedIn Profile - www.linkedin.com/in/mayank08