# Configure GitLab using an external PostgreSQL service If you're hosting GitLab on a cloud provider, you can optionally use a managed service for PostgreSQL. For example, AWS offers a managed Relational Database Service (RDS) that runs PostgreSQL. Alternatively, you may opt to manage your own PostgreSQL instance or cluster separate from the Omnibus GitLab package. If you use a cloud-managed service, or provide your own PostgreSQL instance: 1. Set up PostgreSQL according to the [database requirements document](../install/requirements.md#database). 1. Set up a `gitlab` username with a password of your choice. The `gitlab` user needs privileges to create the `gitlabhq_production` database. 1. If you are using a cloud-managed service, you may need to grant additional roles to your `gitlab` user: - Amazon RDS requires the [`rds_superuser`](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/Appendix.PostgreSQL.CommonDBATasks.html#Appendix.PostgreSQL.CommonDBATasks.Roles) role. - Azure Database for PostgreSQL requires the [`azure_pg_admin`](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/howto-create-users#how-to-create-additional-admin-users-in-azure-database-for-postgresql) role. 1. Configure the GitLab application servers with the appropriate connection details for your external PostgreSQL service in your `/etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb` file: ```ruby # Disable the bundled Omnibus provided PostgreSQL postgresql['enable'] = false # PostgreSQL connection details gitlab_rails['db_adapter'] = 'postgresql' gitlab_rails['db_encoding'] = 'unicode' gitlab_rails['db_host'] = '10.1.0.5' # IP/hostname of database server gitlab_rails['db_password'] = 'DB password' ``` For more information on GitLab HA setups, refer to [configuring GitLab for HA](high_availability/gitlab.md). 1. Reconfigure for the changes to take effect: ```shell sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure ```