Re: PostgreSQL backup idea

From: Brad Nicholson <bnichols(at)ca(dot)afilias(dot)info>
To: Kevin Grittner <Kevin(dot)Grittner(at)wicourts(dot)gov>
Cc: Renato Oliveira <renato(dot)oliveira(at)grant(dot)co(dot)uk>, pgsql-admin(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: Re: PostgreSQL backup idea
Date: 2010-01-20 17:12:38
Message-ID: 1264007558.23266.6.camel@bnicholson-desktop
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On Wed, 2010-01-20 at 10:04 -0600, Kevin Grittner wrote:
> I just noticed that the list has not been copied on most of this
> exchange. Please keep the list copied, as others are likely to
> contribute useful ideas.
>
> Renato Oliveira <renato(dot)oliveira(at)grant(dot)co(dot)uk> wrote:
>
> > Can I ask few questions about it, if possible?
>
> Sure. Please keep it "on list", though.
>
> > We are running Linux Redhat 4.
>
> That should make building from source pretty easy.
>
> > [postgres(at)78674-db1 ~]$ pg_config
> > VERSION = PostgreSQL 8.2.4
>
> > [postgres(at)db2 ~]$ pg_config
> > VERSION = PostgreSQL 8.3.4
>
> Well, there's your problem, right there. Your primary is 8.2.4, but
> your secondary is 8.3.4. The other information matches nicely and
> there were no special build options -- it's just that there are two
> different major versions of PostgreSQL here, and PITR backups
> definitely won't deal with that.
>
> Is there a reason for having your secondary server on a newer major
> release (like there was some query which wouldn't run correctly or
> within a reasonable amount of time without it)?
>
> Wait -- I just had a thought. Old version copying to new version.
> Slony in the mix. This sounds like a situation where the old DBA
> was trying to use Slony to upgrade with minimal down time. Problem
> was, you haven't been able to keep the newer version up-to-date
> through Slony, so you couldn't cut over? If that's the situation,
> it changes the focus. And it also means we need someone who
> understands Slony in the discussion....

If the issue here is the OP wants to move from 8.2.4 to 8.3.9 (as
opposed to 8.3.4) with Slony, here is what to do.

1: Build 8.3.9 from source.
2: Build the same Slony version of slony that is running against the
8.3.9 tree
3 : Upgrade the 8.3.4 version to 8.3.9 (Slony is irrelevant here -
normal minor version PG upgrade)
4: When ready to upgrade, issue the Slony Move Master command to move
from the 8.2.4 node to the 8.3.9.
5: If you still need a Slony replica - drop the 8.2.4 node from
replication and rebuild it as an 8.3.9 replica.

OP if you need any more information about the Slony portions of this -
please ask them on the Slony list.
--
Brad Nicholson 416-673-4106
Database Administrator, Afilias Canada Corp.

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