Thread: Question about backing up PostgreSQL databases
What methods are available to easily backup the contents of a PostgreSQL database? We are in the process of converting over to it from Progress, and we need to figure out what our best option is to have a complete backup in case of disaster. Thanks for the input, Van -- Van Loggins vloggins@turbocorp.com Assistant System Administrator - ESC Dept Linux User #316727 1-770-532-2239 Extension 9404 Turbo Logistics http://www.turbocorp.com
Dear Van L. Loggins ,
>What methods are available to easily backup the contents of a PostgreSQL database?
>
>
PostgreSQL both file system backup option and SQL data in form of
insert statement :
Note: I have done this thing with > PostgreSQL 7.3
This is what I do
1. Take a file system backup of PostgreSQL "data" folder preferably
with DUMP
2. Take a back up of data with
pg_dump --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -a -d -b -D -Fc -Z 9
-f filename.tar.gz <DATABASE NAME>
a. This will take care of blobs (Though 7.2 does not have it)
b. Make sure that your data be less than 8 GB as tar could not
handle more than that
3. Yes Schema is also required to be backed up with above command and
having switch as
pg_dump --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -s Fp -f
schema.sql <DATABASE NAME>
4. Now why Schema is dumped separately to that of data
Because :
a. pg_dump will dump the schema as per its own wish and not as per
the database requirement so
if a required user defined function is not in the secema dump as
early as it is required your pg_restore will
abort with Xmas bells
b. In this case you can rearrange the creation of Schema as
Create functions > then table > then sequences > then views
5. Now after all stuff you have done install your new OS
initdb a new database in the same directory location as it was in
the old one (i.e in the older OS)
6. Now try restore the Schema if succeeds then go to 7 else
rearrange your sql statements to satisfy the monster
7. Restore Data with
pg_restore --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -d <DATABASE NAME>
./filename.tar.gz
8. Now if 6 and 7 fails you have a chance reinstall the older version
of postgresql and also its DUMP file to regain the data and schema again
and start again from point 2 to 8
This is what I do to restore / migrate and have got 100 % results till date
Any one having a better and more reliable method please pass it on to
Anjan Dave and me
We would be grateful to you
Regrads,
V Kashyap
I forgot to add one thing : For file system backup and restore PostgreSQL must be stoped Regards V Kashyap > Dear Van L. Loggins , > >> What methods are available to easily backup the contents of a >> PostgreSQL database? >> >> > PostgreSQL both file system backup option and SQL data in form of > insert statement : > Note: I have done this thing with > PostgreSQL 7.3 > This is what I do > 1. Take a file system backup of PostgreSQL "data" folder > preferably with DUMP > 2. Take a back up of data with > pg_dump --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -a -d -b -D -Fc -Z > 9 -f filename.tar.gz <DATABASE NAME> > a. This will take care of blobs (Though 7.2 does not have it) > b. Make sure that your data be less than 8 GB as tar could not > handle more than that > 3. Yes Schema is also required to be backed up with above command and > having switch as > > pg_dump --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -s Fp -f > schema.sql <DATABASE NAME> > 4. Now why Schema is dumped separately to that of data > Because : > a. pg_dump will dump the schema as per its own wish and not as per > the database requirement so > if a required user defined function is not in the secema dump > as early as it is required your pg_restore will > abort with Xmas bells > b. In this case you can rearrange the creation of Schema as > Create functions > then table > then sequences > then views > 5. Now after all stuff you have done install your new OS > initdb a new database in the same directory location as it was in > the old one (i.e in the older OS) > 6. Now try restore the Schema if succeeds then go to 7 else > rearrange your sql statements to satisfy the monster > 7. Restore Data with > pg_restore --disable-triggers -U <USER NAME> -d <DATABASE > NAME> ./filename.tar.gz > 8. Now if 6 and 7 fails you have a chance reinstall the older version > of postgresql and also its DUMP file to regain the data and schema > again and start again from point 2 to 8 > > This is what I do to restore / migrate and have got 100 % results > till date > > Any one having a better and more reliable method please pass it on to > Anjan Dave and me > > We would be grateful to you > > Regrads, > V Kashyap > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 4: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster > >
Well, we currently use pg_dumpall and pipe it to a tar file. It backups up all data and the database schema. So if a database goes down, I can just pipe that file to pgsql and it will reload everything including all tables, users, grant rights, etc. There is also a company called Bakbone software that has a module for their software that will backup PostgreSQL databases. You can see it at their website. http://www.bakbone.com Good luck, Dave Van L. Loggins wrote: >What methods are available to easily backup the contents of a PostgreSQL database? > >We are in the process of converting over to it from Progress, and we need to figure >out what our best option is to have a complete backup in case of disaster. > > >Thanks for the input, > >Van > > >