RE: Netapp SnapCenter

We got the following from one of our NetApp contacts regarding a similar question. I'd be interested to hear if anyone feels the steps mentioned are not accurate:

There is presently no NetApp supported plugin for PostgreSQL for SnapCenter. There is a community support plugin for PostgreSQL, which I have no experience with, and it hasn't been updated since 2018, so not sure if it's worth pursuing if it's not actively being maintained.

Documentation for backup and recovery of PostgreSQL is generally missing. It's not a SnapCenter issue, it's PostreSQL itself. It also doesn't need a lot of documentation because backups are easy. PostgreSQL doesn't need to be in a special mode for backups to work.

1. Place data files on volume 1
2. Place Logs on volume 2
3. Schedule ONTAP snapshots on volume 1 at 00:05
4. Schedule ONTAP snapshots on volume 2 at 00:10

There you go. All you really need is a data file snapshot before the log snapshot. During recovery, PostgreSQL will figure out what logs are required to make the database consistent.

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Förster <paul(dot)foerster(at)gmail(dot)com>
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2020 4:56 AM
To: pgsql-general <pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Netapp SnapCenter

Hi,

first of all, it wasn't my glorious idea and I know that volume snapshots are no backups. :-)

Leaving that aside: Our company has decided to move away from Netapp SnapCreator to its SnapCenter. I was told there is some community plugin for PostgreSQL to use with SnapCenter but can't find any information that makes sense.

The only thing I found is:

https://automationstore.netapp.com/snappack-listNC.shtml

But it's from Oct. 3rd 2018, for PostgreSQL 9.x and 10.x and also requires JDK 1.8 or later.

If this works at all, I consider these version limits (i.e. development status) as ugly, because more or less in limbo.

Does anyone know of a solution for SnapCenter that works, is actively supported and can be used with current versions of PostgreSQL (i.e. 11.x, 12.x and soon to come 13.x)?

Any idea would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Paul