Analytics Accelerator concepts
This page explains how EDB delivers modern analytics capabilities through the Analytics Accelerator and Hybrid Manager (HM).
It builds on established industry patterns and technologies. If you're new to the space, start with:
- Analytics Terminology — learn the key terms used
- Generic Concepts — understand common architectures and patterns
EDB’s vision for analytics on Postgres
EDB implements modern analytics patterns through the Analytics Accelerator, enabling Postgres to serve as a unified platform for both operational and analytical workloads.
Key principles:
- Perform analytics close to operational data, reducing data movement and latency
- Use open formats and vectorized query engines for fast analytics on object storage
- Support data tiering to balance cost and performance
- Separate compute and storage to allow independent scaling
- Manage the entire stack via Hybrid Manager
Related concept: Data lakehouse
Key EDB solutions and technologies
EDB Postgres Lakehouse
Lakehouse architecture enables EDB Postgres to query data in object storage:
- Lakehouse nodes query data in open table formats (Iceberg, Delta Lake)
- Vectorized query execution powered by Apache DataFusion
- Columnar storage formats such as Parquet
- Separation of compute and storage
Related concepts:
Vectorized query optimization
Analytics Accelerator embeds Apache DataFusion in Lakehouse nodes:
- Processes data as columnar batches
- Uses SIMD instructions to accelerate performance
- Optimized for Parquet-formatted data
Related concept: Vectorized query engines
EDB Postgres Distributed (PGD) and Tiered Tables
EDB Postgres Distributed (PGD) powers Tiered Tables:
- BDR AutoPartition manages time-based partitioning
- Cold data is automatically offloaded to object storage (Iceberg tables)
- Hot data remains in transactional PGD nodes
This balances operational performance with cost-efficient historical data access.
Related concepts:
Advanced query optimization
Analytics Accelerator improves core Postgres capabilities for analytics:
- Enhanced parallel query processing
- Optimized join algorithms for analytical workloads
- Tight integration with vectorized engines for high-performance OLAP queries
Related concept: OLAP / OLTP
Analytics and AI/ML workloads
Analytics Accelerator supports traditional analytics and AI/ML data pipelines:
- Lakehouse nodes provide efficient access to large datasets used in model training
- Tiered data pipelines support cost-effective AI/ML staging patterns
- Open table formats enable integration with vector search and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) workflows
Related concepts:
How EDB implements analytics across products
Hybrid Manager (HM)
Hybrid Manager acts as the control plane:
- Provision and manage Lakehouse clusters
- Configure and monitor Tiered Tables
- Manage storage locations, catalog connections, and compute nodes
EDB Postgres Advanced Server / Extended Server
EDB Postgres Advanced Server adds:
- Improved parallel query capabilities
- Advanced SQL features helpful for analytics
- Native support for PGAA (Postgres Generic Analytics Adapter) features
EDB Postgres Distributed (PGD)
PGD provides the foundation for:
- High-availability transactional workloads
- Data tiering and offloading (Tiered Tables)
- Scalable architectures that integrate with Lakehouse clusters
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