Re: TIP 4: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster

Jeff Davis <list-pgsql-general@dynworks.com> writes:

> TIP 4: Don't 'kill -9' the postmaster
>
> My impression of 7.2 (and probably earlier releases as well) is that you're
> data is secure as long as your disks can read/write properly, because of all
> the WAL work. I would like to think that my databases would be in good shape
> even in the event of a power failure or a 'kill -9'. Is this the case? Under
> what known circumstances might data be corrupted? I am mostly concerned with
> 7.2, since I plan to upgrade all of my servers anyway, but info about 7.1.x
> would be helpful.

WAL does seem to have made things pretty robust.

The tip is directed at those people for whom 'kill -9' is the first
resort, not the last.  ;) Clean shutdown is *always* better than
unclean if you can manage it.

-Doug
--
Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.
   --T. J. Jackson, 1863