Preface

Welcome to Instant PostgreSQL Backup and Restore How-to! These days, database-driven websites and applications are everywhere. Thanks to its free and open nature, and in no small part due to its full ACID guarantees, PostgreSQL is now a popular RDBMS used to fill the role of data storage in these next-generation apps. But with great power comes great responsibility. For a conscientious DBA, that means robust and sometimes numerous backups.

That's where we come in. PostgreSQL supplies a good toolset and documentation for securing your data from catastrophic loss. But this documentation is meant to be exhaustive, covering every known variant of using the backup tools. In a hurry? A new PostgreSQL DBA? Wading through all of that information might be overwhelming. It's there for long-term reference, not immediate or simple solutions.

This How-to fills the missing role of simple explanations for managing backups. We have a small recipe for each major variant of backup, and how to restore it. That's all. Just some commands you might type, and some exposition on how it works. No matter the size of your installation, something in this book should address your needs.