AWS RDS

Connect a PostgreSQL or MySQL database hosted on Amazon RDS — including the network and security setup SMAQ needs.

This guide covers the AWS-specific pieces of connecting a PostgreSQL or MySQL database running on Amazon RDS. The actual SMAQ connection form steps are the same as any SQL database.

Step 1 — Collect connection details from RDS

In the AWS Console:

1. RDS → Databases.

2. Click your DB instance.

3. From the Connectivity & security tab, copy the Endpoint (e.g. acme-prod.abc123.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com) and Port (5432 for Postgres, 3306 for MySQL).

4. Note the DB name (Configuration tab).

[Screenshot needed] RDS instance Connectivity & security tab with Endpoint and Port highlighted.

Step 2 — Make the database reachable from SMAQ

SMAQ connects from a fixed set of outbound IPs. Either:

• Option A — Add SMAQ's IPs to your RDS security group (recommended for production)

  1. Get SMAQ's outbound IPs from [e-mail].

  2. RDS → DB instance → Connectivity & security → VPC security group.

  3. Click the security group → Inbound rules → Edit.

  4. Add rules: PostgreSQL (5432) or MySQL (3306) from each of SMAQ's IPs.

  5. Save.

• Option B — VPC peering (enterprise only) Contact [e-mail] to set up VPC peering between SMAQ's VPC and yours.

[Screenshot needed] RDS security group inbound rules with SMAQ IPs added.

Step 3 — Create a read-only DB user

Don't give SMAQ your master DB password. Create a least-privilege user:

Postgres:

CREATE USER smaq_readonly WITH PASSWORD 'long-random-string';
GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE your_db TO smaq_readonly;
GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO smaq_readonly;
GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO smaq_readonly;
ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES IN SCHEMA public
  GRANT SELECT ON TABLES TO smaq_readonly;

MySQL:

CREATE USER 'smaq_readonly'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'long-random-string';
GRANT SELECT ON your_db.* TO 'smaq_readonly'@'%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Step 4 — Add the connection in SMAQ

1. SMAQ project → Data Source → Add data source.

2. Pick PostgreSQL or MySQL.

3. Fill in:

   • Host: the RDS endpoint

   • Port: 5432 or 3306

   • Database: your DB name

   • Username: smaq_readonly

   • Password: the password you set

   • SSL mode: Require

4. Click Test connection. SMAQ should report the tables it discovered.

5. Name and click Connect.

[Screenshot needed] SMAQ connection form filled in for an RDS Postgres instance.

Troubleshooting

• Timeout — security group isn't allowing SMAQ's IPs, or the RDS instance has Publicly accessible = No without VPC peering.

• "SSL required" error — set SSL mode to Require in SMAQ's connection form.

• "Permission denied for table X" — re-run the GRANT SELECT step. New tables won't be readable by default; the ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES line above handles future tables.