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How Atlan connects to Cloud SQL Postgres

Atlan connects to your Cloud SQL Postgres database to extract technical metadata while maintaining network security and compliance. You can choose between Direct connectivity for databases available from the internet or Self-deployed runtime for databases that must remain behind your firewall.

Connect via direct network connection​

Atlan's Cloud SQL Postgres workflow establishes a direct network connection to your database from the Atlan SaaS tenant. This approach works when your Cloud SQL Postgres database can accept connections from the internet.

  • Atlan's Cloud SQL Postgres workflow connects directly to your database from the Atlan SaaS tenant over port 5432 (default).
  • Your Cloud SQL Postgres database accepts inbound network connections from Atlan's IP addresses, controlled through your firewall rules or network security groups.

For details on how direct connectivity works, see Direct connectivity.

Connect via self-deployed runtime​

A runtime service deployed within your network acts as a secure bridge between Atlan Cloud and your Cloud SQL Postgres database. This approach works when your Cloud SQL Postgres database must remain fully isolated behind your firewall.

  • The runtime maintains an outbound HTTPS connection to Atlan Cloud (port 443) and a local network connection to your Cloud SQL Postgres database (port 5432).

For details on how Self-Deployed Runtime works, see SDR connectivity.

Technical details​

Cloud SQL Postgres under the hood uses Cloud SQL Python Connector to connect to Cloud SQL and fetch metadata.

Security​

Atlan extracts only structural metadata—schemas, tables, columns, and their relationships. For example, if you have a CUSTOMERS table with customer records, Atlan discovers the table structure and column definitions, but never queries or stores the customer records themselves.

  • Read-only operations: All database queries are read-only SELECT statements. The connector can't modify data, create or drop database objects, or change any configuration. The Cloud SQL Postgres user permissions you grant control exactly what the connector can access.

  • Credential encryption: Cloud SQL Postgres connection credentials are encrypted at rest and in transit. In Direct connectivity, Atlan encrypts credentials before storage. In Self-deployed runtime, credentials never leave your network perimeter—the runtime retrieves them from your enterprise-managed secret vaults (AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, GCP Secret Manager, or HashiCorp Vault) only when needed, and Atlan Cloud never receives or stores them.

  • Network isolation with Self-deployed runtime: Your Cloud SQL Postgres database gains complete network isolation from the internet. The database only accepts connections from the runtime within your local network. The runtime itself only makes outbound HTTPS connections to Atlan Cloud, which your network team can control through firewall rules.

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