The geodatabase administrator in PostgreSQL is a database login role named sde.
This account is responsible for administration of the following:
- The geodatabase system tables, triggers, functions, procedures, and SQL types
- Geodatabase versions
Because the geodatabase administrator owns all the geodatabase system files, directories, and tables, this account must be created before the geodatabase can be created. If you use the Create Enterprise Geodatabase geoprocessing tool or script to create a geodatabase in PostgreSQL, the tool creates a database-authenticated sde user and its schema for you and grants the privileges necessary to create a geodatabase. To use the Enable Enterprise Geodatabase geoprocessing tool or script to enable geodatabase functionality in an existing PostgreSQL database, the database administrator must create the sde user and schema and grant the privileges required to create a geodatabase before you run Enable Enterprise Geodatabase.
Keep in mind that the geodatabase administrator is not the same as the database administrator. Although conditions at your site may necessitate that the geodatabase administrator have superuser status in the database cluster, this is not required for day-to-day operation of a geodatabase in PostgreSQL. See Privileges for geodatabases in PostgreSQL for more information.
Only database-authenticated sde logins are supported at this time.
Login role and schema for sde
In PostgreSQL, login roles do not automatically have a schema with the same name as their username. However, to use PostgreSQL with ArcGIS, users who own tables and other database objects must own a schema that has the same name as the username. This applies to the sde user as well as nonadministrative users who own data. The sde user owns the geodatabase system tables and other objects; therefore, the sde user must own a schema named sde.
Esri recommends that the sde schema only be used to store the geodatabase repository. Create users and schemas to store datasets such as feature classes or tables. Following the practice of storing only geodatabase system objects in the sde user's schema simplifies the management of the geodatabase and makes it easier for you to delete the geodatabase from the database if you ever decide to do so.