Re: PITR with rsync

David Bear <David(dot)Bear(at)asu(dot)edu> writes:
> I'm still uncomfortable with using the file system style backup method
> in PITR and am very interested in ' more information ' on how others
> may be doing backups. Specifically, I assume that PITR methods would
> also be accompanied with some combination of pg-dump.

You assume wrong. Replaying WAL demands starting from a physical not
logical dump, because page and tuple numbers and so forth have to be the
same as in the master. A pg_dump backup will simply not work.

> I am curious
> about how frequently a pg-dump would be done if a PITR method was also
> used (every 24 hours, every 7 days, not at all ) ??

I'd personally be inclined to take a pg_dump every now and then just to
have an independent backup method. Especially if I wasn't comfortable
with PITR ;-). How often depends on how much bandwidth you can spare
for backup purposes.

> Also, looking at the archive_command argument in postgresql.conf. Has
> anyone use rsync there?

I suppose you could, but what's the point? Copying a single file that
doesn't currently exist on the destination plays to none of rsync's
strengths.

regards, tom lane