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+# 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
+   ```