Deploying Metabase on AWS ECS (Fargate) with PostgreSQL (RDS)

At some point in your cloud journey, you stop just deploying applications and start thinking about data, persistence, and real-world architecture. Because most production applications don’t just run they store, query, and visualize data. That’s exactly what this project is about. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how I deployed Metabase (an open-source business intelligence tool) on AWS using ECS with Fargate, and connected it to a PostgreSQL database hosted on RDS. This is no longer just a “hello world” setup this is a real application backed by a real database. What We’ll Be Building In this project, we will: Deploy Metabase using containers Run it on Amazon ECS (Fargate) Create a PostgreSQL database using Amazon RDS Connect the application to the database Configure networking and security for communication By the end, we’ll have a fully functional data application in the cloud. Why This Matters This project introduces critical real-world concepts: Application + Database architecture Containerized workloads Managed databases (RDS) Secure service-to-service communication Environment variable configuration This is the kind of setup you’ll see in production systems. Architecture Overview User (Browser) | v ECS Service (Fargate) | Metabase Container | v Amazon RDS (PostgreSQL) Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Both ECS and RDS must be in the same VPC for private communication. Step 1: Create the RDS PostgreSQL Database Go to RDS → Create Database Choose: Engine: PostgreSQL Template: Free tier (if available) Configure: DB instance identifier: metabase-db Username: postgres Password: (your choice) Networking Settings Place RDS in your VPC Choose a private subnet (recommended) Disable public access (best practice) Security Group for RDS Add inbound rule: Port: 5432 (PostgreSQL) Source: ECS security group This allows only your container to access the database. Step 2: Create ECS Cluster (Fargate) Go to ECS Create a cluster Choose Fargate (Networking only) Name it: metabase-cluster Step 3: Create Task Definition Go to Task Definitions → Create Choose Fargate Container Configuration Container name: metabase Image: metabase/metabase Port mapping: Container port: 3000 Environment Variables Add the following: MB_DB_TYPE=postgres MB_DB_DBNAME=metabase MB_DB_PORT=5432 MB_DB_USER=postgres MB_DB_PASS=yourpassword MB_DB_HOST= Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode Replace with your database endpoint. This is how Metabase connects to PostgreSQL. Step 4: Create ECS Service Launch type: Fargate Task definition: metabase-task Number of tasks: 1 Networking Setup Use the same VPC as RDS Select subnets (public or private depending on access strategy) Enable public IP (if accessing via browser) Security Group for ECS Add inbound rule: Port: 3000 Source: your IP (recommended) Step 5: Deploy and Run Start the service Wait for task status → RUNNING Step 6: Access Metabase Get the public IP of the ECS task Open: http://:3000 You should see the Metabase setup screen! Common Mistakes to Avoid ECS and RDS in different VPCs They won’t communicate. Incorrect RDS endpoint Connection will fail. Missing security group rule (5432) Database access will be blocked. Wrong environment variables Metabase won’t initialize properly. What This Project Teaches You This project is a major step forward. You learn: How applications connect to databases How to configure secure communication How to run stateful applications in the cloud How real-world systems are structured This is no longer just infrastructure it’s application architecture. Real-World Use Cases This setup is similar to: Internal analytics dashboards Business intelligence platforms SaaS reporting tools Monitoring and metrics visualization Deploying Metabase with ECS and RDS is where things start to feel real. You’re no longer just launching resources you’re building connected systems. And that’s the difference between: “Learning cloud” and “Thinking like a cloud engineer” I’m also excited to share that I’ve been able to secure a special discount, in partnership with Sanjeev Kumar’s team, for the DevOps & Cloud Job Placement / Mentorship Program. For those who may not be familiar, Sanjeev Kumar brings over 20 years of hands-on experience across multiple domains and every phase of product delivery. He is known for his strong architectural mindset, with a deep focus on Automation, DevOps, Cloud, and Security. Sanjeev has extensive expertise in technology assessment, working closely with senior leadership, architects, and diverse software delivery teams to build scalable and secure systems. Beyond industry practice, he is also an active educator, running a YouTube channel dedicated to helping professionals successfully transition into DevOps and Cloud careers. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to level up their DevOps/Cloud skills with real-world mentorship and career guidance. Do refer below for the link with a dedicated discount automatically applied at checkout; DevOps & Cloud Job Placement / Mentorship Program. If you also found this interesting and would love to take the next steps in the application process with AltSchool Africa do use my referral link below; Apply here or use this Code: W2jBG8 during the registration process and by so doing, you will be supporting me and also getting a discount! https://portal.altschoolafrica.com/auth/signin?ref=W2jBG8 Special Offer: By signing up through the link and using the code shared, you’ll receive a 10% discount! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your future and also save while doing it! Let’s grow together in the tech space. Also feel free to reach out if you need assistance or clarity regarding the program. I’m Ikoh Sylva, a passionate cloud computing enthusiast with hands-on experience in AWS. I’m documenting my cloud journey here from a beginner’s perspective, aiming to inspire others along the way. If you find my contents helpful, please like and follow my posts, and consider sharing this article with anyone starting their own cloud journey. Let’s connect on social media. I’d love to engage and exchange ideas with you! LinkedIn Facebook X