Add instructions for "Run a psql console in staging environment"

README.md

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ The aim of this project is to have a quick guide of what to do when an emergency
 * [Gracefully restart sidekiq jobs](howto/manage-workers.md#gracefully-restart-sidekiq-jobs)
 * [Start a rails console in the staging environment](howto/staging-environment.md#run-a-rails-console-in-staging-environment)
 * [Start a redis console in the staging environment](howto/staging-environment.md#run-a-redis-console-in-staging-environment)
+* [Start a psql console in the staging environment](howto/staging-environment.md#run-a-psql-console-in-staging-environment)
 * [Force a failover with postgres or redis](howto/manage-pacemaker.md#force-a-failover)
 * [Use aptly](howto/aptly.md)

howto/staging-environment.md

@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ If you have any idea on how to improve such feedback loop or you are missing any
 * start redis-cli `/opt/gitlab/embedded/bin/redis-cli`
 * authenticate `auth PASSWORD` - replace "PASSWORD" with the retrieved password
+## Run a psql console in staging environment
+
+* ssh into the primary database host:
+  * `ssh db1.staging.gitlab.com`
+* start `gitlab-psql` with the following command:
+
+    ```
+    sudo -u gitlab-psql -H sh \
+      -c "/opt/gitlab/embedded/bin/psql \
+      -h /var/opt/gitlab/postgresql gitlabhq_production"
+    ```
+
 ## Deploy to staging
 Follow the instructions [from the chef-repo](https://dev.gitlab.org/cookbooks/chef-repo/blob/master/doc/staging.md)

[yorickpeterse-staging]

@rspeicher Using sudo gitlab-psql gitlabhq_production achieves the same result, but with fewer options needed.

[Robert Speicher]

@yorickpeterse That's what I assumed initially but it didn't work:

rspeicher@db1:~$ sudo gitlab-psql gitlabhq_production
psql: could not connect to server: No such file or directory
        Is the server running locally and accepting
        connections on Unix domain socket "/var/opt/gitlab/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432"?

[Robert Speicher]

That said, the command I added above isn't working right now either.

[yorickpeterse-staging]

@rspeicher I think the staging database is currently down, hence it fails; on production it should work fine.