Re: Question about backing up PostgreSQL databases

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