pg_partman_run_maintenance
Run partition maintenance to create new child partitions and enforce retention policies. Should be executed regularly (e.g., via pg_cron) to keep partitions current. Maintains all partition sets if no specific parent table is specified.
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-neverinfamous-postgres-mcp/pg-partman-run-maintenance.md
What pg_partman_run_maintenance does on PostgreSQL MCP Server
AI agents invoke pg_partman_run_maintenance to trigger actions in PostgreSQL MCP Server. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
Why pg_partman_run_maintenance is rated High
This tool executes partition management operations on the database, which can affect query performance, storage allocation, and data organization across the entire PostgreSQL instance. While not destructive by itself (partitions are not deleted, only created and policies enforced), it modifies database structure and enforces retention rules with effects dependent on the partition configuration and policies defined.
From the tool's definition Tool description states 'Run partition maintenance' and 'create new child partitions and enforce retention policies' — these are administrative operations that modify database structure and enforce policies.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs pg_partman_run_maintenance safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and PostgreSQL MCP Server, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For pg_partman_run_maintenance, this is the rule to start with:
pg_partman_run_maintenance stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect PostgreSQL MCP Server, apply this rule, and every pg_partman_run_maintenance call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about pg_partman_run_maintenance
Run partition maintenance to create new child partitions and enforce retention policies. Should be executed regularly (e.g., via pg_cron) to keep partitions current. Maintains all partition sets if no specific parent table is specified. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for pg_partman_run_maintenance: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches PostgreSQL MCP Server. Nothing to install.
pg_partman_run_maintenance is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the pg_partman_run_maintenance rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for pg_partman_run_maintenance. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
pg_partman_run_maintenance is provided by the PostgreSQL MCP Server MCP server (@neverinfamous/postgres-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
More on PostgreSQL MCP Server, and thousands of servers like it.
Across the catalogue