Re: pg_start_backup and pg_stop_backup Re: Re: [COMMITTERS] pgsql: Make CheckRequiredParameterValues() depend upon correct - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 11:25 AM, Heikki Linnakangas
<heikki.linnakangas@enterprisedb.com> wrote:
> Robert Haas wrote:
>> At least as I understand it, even when not using
>> archive_mode, streaming replication, or hot standby, it's still
>> perfectly legal to use pg_start_backup() to take a hot backup.
>
> Nope. The correct procedure to take a hot backup is described in
> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.4/interactive/continuous-archiving.html#BACKUP-TIPS.
> It involves setting archive_mode=on, and archive_command to a shell
> command that normally just returns true, except when backup is in
> progress. You can't take a hot backup without archiving (or streaming)
> at least temporarily. (except with filesystem-level snapshot capabilities).

Oh.  Well, in that case the proposed change seems reasonable... but
what do you mean by "except with filesystem-level snapshot
capabilities"?

...Robert