Re: [GENERAL] Automating backup

[Richard Sydney-Smith]

Hi Doug. Many users are haphazard in their approach until the machine fails and then they expect to be pulled from the poo. Done it too many times. I now will get the application to enforce an additional integrity check. It must be backed up or else! Seems futile to put all the effort into a database design that checks and ensures everything except that a backup copy exists! Essentially I need access to a database record that gives the timestamp for the last backup. Of course pgdump/vacuum could maintain such timestamps themselves. Is that possible? If not then a proc in the database that calls pgdump/vacuum and records the event is needed to give me peace of mind. regards Richard Doug McNaught wrote: Richard Sydney-Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: pch := pchar('pg_dump -C -h '+host+' -U '+usr+' -p '+pswd+ ' -f '+bckup_path+' '+dbase); to postgres. as the operator is obviously logged in how do I (1) trap their user id (2) Send the call to pg_dump without knowing their password? I expect this is a well worn route and am hoping not to have to reinvent a wheel. I don't think it's "well-worn" at all--everyone I've ever heard of runs pg_dump from a cron script. Why not have a shell script run by the operator that runs pg_dump and then calls psql to insert the log record (assuming the dump succeeds)? Putting the logic inside of the database doesn't seem to buy you anything AFAICS. -Doug ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 4: Have you searched our list archives? http://archives.postgresql.org