Re: [HACKERS] Patch to implement pg_current_logfile() function

On Sat, Jan 14, 2017 at 1:43 AM, Kevin Grittner <kgrittn@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 7:09 AM, Michael Paquier
> <michael.paquier@gmail.com> wrote:
>> There is no real harm in including current_logfiles in base
>> backups, but that's really in the same bag as postmaster.opts or
>> postmaster.pid, particularly if the log file name has a
>> timestamp.
>
> I'm going to dispute that -- if postmaster.opts and postmaster.pid
> are present when you restore, it takes away a level of insurance
> against restoring a corrupted image of the database without knowing
> it.  In particular, if the backup_label file is deleted (which
> happens with alarmingly frequency), the startup code may think it
> is dealing with a cluster that crashed rather than with a restore
> of a backup.  This often leads to corruption (anything from
> "database can't start" to subtle index corruption that isn't
> noticed for months).  The presence of log files from the time of
> the backup do not present a similar hazard.
>
> So while I agree that there is no harm in including
> current_logfiles in base backups, I object to the comparisons to
> the more dangerous files.

Good point.
-- 
Michael