Raspberry Pi as a PostgreSQL server?

Hi folks,

I'm just wondering if any of you have any experience setting up a Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or other SBC as a PostgreSQL server for Resolve. The Resolve manual only seems to provide instructions for macOS, but I feel that a Mac Mini is too expensive just to act as a PostgreSQL server.

Does anyone have any experience properly installing and configuring PostgreSQL for Resolve on Raspian or NOOBS? Can someone point me to a guide? I definitely think I could jury-rig something together, but I'm wary about deploying something like this in a production environment without official support, guidance, or endorsement by Blackmagic Design or some other authoritative colorist or color house.

I have not personally tried to setup a server on an SBC but my gut reaction is that it would not be a great idea.

Blackmagic only officially supports their custom PostgreSQL distribution which for a linux platform is included with their custom distro of CentOS.

One question for you might be if you do not want to spend the money to purchase a separate external computer such as a mac mini is why not just run the PostgreSQL on one of your edit stations? Another option would be to setup a virtual machine or Postgres instance on your shared storage machine.

I don’t understand what you mean by “custom PostgreSQL distribution.” AFAIK, Blackmagic Design doesn’t even distribute PostgreSQL—I had to download EDB Postgres separately before I could even use a PostgreSQL database within Resolve.

Since PostgreSQL can run on Windows, macOS, or Linux, why wouldn’t an installation of EDB Postgres on an SBC work?


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I don’t understand what you mean by “custom PostgreSQL distribution.” AFAIK, Blackmagic Design doesn’t even distribute PostgreSQL—I had to download EDB Postgres separately before I could even use a PostgreSQL database within Resolve.

Since PostgreSQL can run on Windows, macOS, or Linux, why wouldn’t an installation of EDB Postgres on an SBC work?


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Every full version of resolve comes with the option to install PostgreSQL (though many people miss that option especially in the Mac installer), it is my understanding that it's not materially different from other greSQL distros but using the included one from blackmagic ensures that it is installed to the location that BM expects it to be and is the version that BM recommends.

As far as will it work, I don't see why it wouldn't people have been experimenting with a lot of different SQL solutions. There was a thread previously where some had gotten it to work with an AWS instance, and I have had success running it on virtual machines on my storage.

Will it work if a very different question than will it be officially supported or endorsed by a post house or professional to work in a production environment. I would love to hear how it works out once you set it up but it would be hard for me to recommend you do it in a professional environment as you are now dealing with a system that is much less powerful than the normal deployment.

If you do decide to do it please let us know how it goes!

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Your only point of attention is power and i/o speed.
The rest, its standard PostgreSQL that BM is using and runs on any platform, incl Respberry type linux distributions. And you can employ all powerfull features that PostgreSQL has, like db sync setups, standby databases, etc etc.
Also like i did when resolve was in version 12 i ran a more modern up to date version then the one that came with Resolve.

It all depends on your skill level. Go for it and have some fun. Would not be my 1st choice for productive setups, but as concept piece to experiment its fun.

I think I’ll experiment with this. Probably going to put CentOS 7 on a Pi, set a static IP address, install Resolve Studio and PostgreSQL, and see how it goes. I have one workstation acting as the server, but it’s quite annoying to interrupt all renders if that workstation needs to be rebooted. My hunch is that a dedicated Pi will provide more stability and reliability. I’ll write up some notes when I try it!


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How did it go installing Resolve Studio's Project Server on a CentOS Raspberry Pi? I'm about to pick up a Raspberry Pi and give this setup a shot. My studio has 3 color stations but I'd like to shut them down at night. I'd love to have a Raspberry Pi serving up the project database at all times.

On Rohit Gutpa's recommendation, I'm going to instead use an Intel chip--specifically, an Intel NUC: NUC7i7DNKE.

However, I only just received mine yesterday, so I haven't set it up yet. However, Robbie Carman has reported good results with an earlier generation of NUC.

I'll be posting a thorough guide soon.

Hey -- it's early days, but I got the PostgreSQL server functioning on a Raspberry Pi 3 B+. The NUC looks cool but I'd say a $35 solution is better than $500 for the NUC, unless you had other fun plans for the NUC.

Here's my post on LGG with instructions:

http://liftgammagain.com/forum/index.ph ... -pi.10628/

Hey -- it's early days, but I got the PostgreSQL server functioning on a Raspberry Pi 3 B+. The NUC looks cool but I'd say a $35 solution is better than $500 for the NUC, unless you had other fun plans for the NUC.

Here's my post on LGG with instructions:

http://liftgammagain.com/forum/index.ph ... -pi.10628/

This is cool, but I went with the NUC so that I could support more artist workstations in a future-proof way, with a much faster CPU. A fast Intel chip with plenty of RAM was Rohit’s recommendation.

SD storage will also fail in a big way. I hope you have backups ready!


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Here's my guide on how to set up a NUC with CentOS: https://medium.com/@sethgoldin/how-to-s ... 6dff0a1872

[Dwaine Maggart]

Nice!

Also works for people who want to install PostgreSQL on CentOS Resolve systems not built with our 7.3 build image ISO.

Hi all,

Any thoughts on whether the new Bean Canyon NUC would be sufficient as a PostgreSQL server?

I'm liking the Thunderbolt option on this little guy:

NUC7i3BNHX1
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... _core.html

I have an old Pegasus2 RAID that I could attach. That way, the NUC could act as my studio's PostgreSQL server and also back up key media that's currently now just on my Synology.

Is there any reason to think an i3 wouldn't be fast enough for PostgreSQL? Or that dual-core makes it insufficient?

Cheers,
Jeff

Hi all,

Any thoughts on whether the new Bean Canyon NUC would be sufficient as a PostgreSQL server?

I'm liking the Thunderbolt option on this little guy:

NUC7i3BNHX1
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... _core.html

I have an old Pegasus2 RAID that I could attach. That way, the NUC could act as my studio's PostgreSQL server and also back up key media that's currently now just on my Synology.

Is there any reason to think an i3 wouldn't be fast enough for PostgreSQL? Or that dual-core makes it insufficient?

Cheers,
Jeff

How many workstations do you intend to put on it simultaneously? My initial impression is that it’d definitely be fine for a few. BMD is still recommending much slower Mac Minis, so I don’t see why not.


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3 work stations.

3 work stations.

I think you’d be totally fine. Given that BMD is still recommending a 3.0 GHz i7 in the Mac Mini from 2014(!) for Resolve 15, and that this new Bean Canyon base model has a new i3 running at 3.0 GHz, you should be totally fine. I recommend popping CentOS on it as per my guide above. I haven’t had any issues with mine, and I’m consistently running three workstations simultaneously, often with all three users in the same project via collaborative workflow, or with all three workstations rendering dailies out of the same project.


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