PostgreSQL Documentation - Re: [HACKERS] Online backup vs Continuous backup

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Re: [HACKERS] Online backup vs Continuous backup

Joshua D. Drake

2005-12-26, 1:23 pm

Bruce Momjian wrote:
> I noticed that we are using the term "Online Backup" in our
> documentation when we are talking about continuous backup and PITR.
>
> To me, "online backup" is doing a backup while the system is online
> (online-backup), and that is accomplished by pg_dump. I know a lot of
> databases us "Online Backup" but I assume this is for historical reasons
> because at some time in the past their full backups didn't work while
> the database was online. Other systems use the term "Continuous
> Logging", but I think that is too easily confused with the server
> activity logs.
>
> I suggest the following patch to rename our capability "Continuous
> Backup".

I have never heard the term Continuous backup. Although I have heard
online backup. The problem is that when I hear the term online backup
I think Hot backup which is what we do with pg_dump.

I would just call the other Point in time recovery :)

>
>

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Bruce Momjian

2005-12-26, 1:23 pm

Joshua D. Drake wrote:
> Bruce Momjian wrote:
>
> I have never heard the term Continuous backup. Although I have heard
> online backup. The problem is that when I hear the term online backup
> I think Hot backup which is what we do with pg_dump.

Yes, that is my problem too.

> I would just call the other Point in time recovery :)

The problem there is that it is "recovery", and the documentation talks
about the "backup" step. I am thinking we are going to have to add
something like "Continuous backup, also called Online Backup" or
something like that.

--
Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us
pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001
+ If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road
+ Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073

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Peter Eisentraut

2005-12-27, 7:23 am

Am Montag, 26. Dezember 2005 20:46 schrieb Heikki Linnakangas:
> FWIW, I believe "log archival" is a common term for that.

I like that better, although there are a lot of logs, so maybe "transaction
log archival".

Considering the list originally referenced:

- File system backup
- SQL dump
- (Transaction log archival?)

This addresses the technical workings of the various backup systems. The fact
that it is or isn't on-line, hot, continuous, fast, or flexible is secondary.

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Bruce Momjian

2005-12-27, 1:23 pm

Peter Eisentraut wrote:
> Am Montag, 26. Dezember 2005 20:46 schrieb Heikki Linnakangas:
>
> I like that better, although there are a lot of logs, so maybe
> "transaction log archival".

Yep, when I think of log archiving, I think of saving the server logs,
which thanks to log file rotation, we kind of support.

The problem is that when I think of the transaction log, I think of clog
because it is the transaction status log. :-(

I am thinking anything that says "log" is going to be confusing. How about
"Transaction Archiving"?

> Considering the list originally referenced:
>
> - File system backup - SQL dump - (Transaction log archival?)
>
> This addresses the technical workings of the various backup systems.
> The fact that it is or isn't on-line, hot, continuous, fast, or flexible
> is secondary.

To me, the continuous activity is the significant feature of that backup
method. I chose "Continuous Backup" because it is the continual
activity that is significant. "Continuous Archiving"?

--
Bruce Momjian | http://candle.pha.pa.us
pgman@candle.pha.pa.us | (610) 359-1001
+ If your life is a hard drive, | 13 Roberts Road
+ Christ can be your backup. | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania 19073

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Tom Lane

2005-12-27, 8:24 pm

Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> writes:
[color=darkred]
> To me, the continuous activity is the significant feature of that backup
> method. I chose "Continuous Backup" because it is the continual
> activity that is significant. "Continuous Archiving"?

I like Peter's suggestion as-is; or "WAL Archiving". I don't like
applying adjectives that are not specific to the particular method.
That will just create more confusion down the road if we add another
feature that could also be called "continuous archiving".

regards, tom lane

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