Index: doc/src/sgml/backup.sgml =================================================================== RCS file: /projects/cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/backup.sgml,v retrieving revision 2.86 diff -c -r2.86 backup.sgml *** doc/src/sgml/backup.sgml 16 Sep 2006 00:30:11 -0000 2.86 --- doc/src/sgml/backup.sgml 20 Sep 2006 12:43:55 -0000 *************** *** 1137,1142 **** --- 1150,1197 ---- + + Incrementally Updated Backups + + + incrementally updated backups + + + + change accumulation + + + + Restartable Recovery can also be utilised to offload the expense of + taking periodic base backups from a main server, by instead backing + up a Standby server's files. This concept is also generally known as + incrementally updated backups, log change accumulation or more simply, + change accumulation. + + + + If we take a backup of the server files whilst a recovery is in progress, + we will be able to restart the recovery from the last restartpoint. + That backup now has many of the changes from previous WAL archive files, + so this version is now an updated version of the original base backup. + If we need to recover, it will be faster to recover from the + incrementally updated backup than from the base backup. + + + + To make use of this capability you will need to set up a Standby database + on a second system, as described in . By + taking a backup of the Standby server while it is running you will + have produced an incrementally updated backup. Once this configuration + has been implemented you will no longer need to produce regular base + backups of the Primary server: all base backups can be performed on the + Standby server. If you wish to do this, it is not a requirement that you + also implement the failover features of a Warm Standby configuration, + though you may find it desirable to do both. + + + + Caveats *************** *** 1287,1292 **** --- 1342,1355 ---- really offers a solution for Disaster Recovery, not HA. + + When running a Standby Server, backups can be performed on the Standby + rather than the Primary, thereby offloading the expense of + taking periodic base backups. (See + ) + + + Other mechanisms for High Availability replication are available, both commercially and as open-source software.