What I am suggesting is a method of optimization not just for PostgreSQL but for other similar databases as well. This is a more primitive, hardware-level performance optimization where an exclusive partition or hard disk is dedicated just for the actual data. By doing so, all the read and write operations related to your data happen on that disk, while OS-level and software-level read/write operations happen on another disk. This approach also makes it easier to handle failure, monitor disk health, and isolate workloads effectively.

Why Store PostgreSQL Data in a Separate Partition?

Separating the data directory from the root filesystem has several advantages:

1. Improved Disk I/O Performance: Storing data on a dedicated partition ensures that database read/write operations are isolated from the OS and application processes, avoiding competition for disk I/O.
2. Efficient Disk Usage Management: By placing the data in a separate partition, you can allocate specific disk space for the database and prevent it from filling up the root partition.
3. Better Backup and Restore Control: Storing data in a dedicated location simplifies backup processes and makes restoring data more efficient.
4. Optimized Disk Types: Different types of storage media (e.g., SSD for faster reads/writes or HDD for archival data) can be used based on database needs.
5. Isolation for Security and Resilience: A dedicated partition reduces the risk of system failure in case of database corruption or storage issues.

I often see articles discussing Tailscale in multi-device setups, but I wanted to share my experience of using Tailscale primarily with a single machine. To clarify, it’s not technically a single device, but a combination of my work computer, phone, and a 10-inch Android tablet.

The Problem: Inefficient Remote Access

I work from home, and my computer serves as both my personal and work machine. There have been many times when I’ve needed to assist colleagues or push changes while away from my desk. In emergencies, I used to rely on AnyDesk to remote into my computer via my phone or tablet. While AnyDesk and similar tools like TeamViewer provide visual control over the desktop, they often suffer from lag, disconnections, and poor responsiveness on weaker connections, making simple tasks like opening a terminal or editing a file feel like a chore. The lag becomes especially pronounced when navigating large projects or deploying code, turning a few-minute task into a frustrating, time-consuming ordeal.

PostgreSQL is a mature, open-source relational database that has been widely adopted by many companies over the years. It has been my go-to database for most of my software career, helping me solve various performance challenges in my projects. Features like JSON generation, materialized views, and others have enabled me to scale APIs to handle millions of requests per second.

One effective strategy to improve the performance of web applications is to create a read-only replica of the primary database. This allows you to direct read-only queries (e.g., SELECT queries) to the replica, while write operations continue to target the primary database. Note that PostgreSQL doesn’t support multiple primary (or master) databases natively, but it does support multiple read replicas.

Although you can achieve distributed primary databases via schema or table sharding, that topic is beyond the scope of this article.

AWS ECS (Elastic Container Service) is a powerful Amazon Web Service that allows you to deploy Docker containers on various infrastructure options, including EC2 instances, Fargate (serverless containers), or even self-hosted servers. Being deeply integrated with AWS, ECS offers a cost-effective and seamless solution for managing containers in the Amazon ecosystem.

This guide assumes you are familiar with ECS and already have a task definition set up for your Rails application. Additionally, it assumes you know how to find your subnet ID and security group ID, as these will be required when running containers in your specific environment.

Over the past two years since I began using Tailscale, it has become an invaluable tool. Tailscale has enabled me to achieve many tasks that previously required complex setups. One of the most significant achievements was being able to SSH into my home development machine directly from my phone 😄.

By connecting my phone to Tailscale and using JuiceSSH, an Android app for SSH access, I could SSH into my home machine, deploy applications, and run maintenance scripts—all from my phone. Peaceful trips away from my desk.

Remote Development Made Simple

Tailscale has also made remote development seamless. By installing Tailscale on a laptop, I was able to use VS Code’s Remote Development feature to access my home development machine via SSH. This setup allowed me to work from any laptop without the need to install databases or development tools locally. Even a basic Chromebook or an ultra-light laptop turned into a powerful development workstation, as all the actual computing happened on my home machine over SSH.

I even took it a step further by installing code-server on my dev machine. This allowed me to access a full-fledged development environment from my samsung tablet via Tailscale.

What is Tailscale?

For those unfamiliar, Tailscale is a VPN software based on WireGuard. It allows you to create a secure network between your devices effortlessly. All you need to do is install Tailscale on your device, start the program, and your device joins the network—no advanced configuration required. It’s an easy-to-use, straightforward VPN solution.

By connecting my devices and home lab to this VPN, I gained the ability to access my computers remotely from anywhere.

Using an Exit Node for Secure Browsing

Tailscale allows you to set up one of your devices as an exit node. This means that when you’re using another device, you can route all your internet traffic through the exit node. For example, when I’m traveling, I set up my home computer as an exit node, ensuring that my internet traffic behaves as if I’m accessing it from home. This not only secures my browsing but also obscures my activities from public networks like those at hotels, cafes, or Airbnbs, as all they see is traffic going to Tailscale’s network, fully encrypted.

Note: Tailscale attempts to establish direct connections between devices. When that’s not possible, it uses relay servers.