Re: [PATCHES] Doc update for pg_start_backup

Heikki Linnakangas <heikki(at)enterprisedb(dot)com> writes:
> Added a note to the docs that pg_start_backup can take a long time to
> finish now that we spread out checkpoints:

I was starting to wordsmith this, and then wondered whether it's not
just a stupid idea for pg_start_backup to act that way. The reason
you're doing it is to take a base backup, right? What are you going
to take the base backup with? I do not offhand know of any backup
tools that don't suck major amounts of I/O bandwidth. That being
the case, you're simply not going to schedule the operation during
full-load periods. And that leads to the conclusion that
pg_start_backup should just use CHECKPOINT_IMMEDIATE and not slow
you down.

Thoughts?

regards, tom lane