RE: Running rsync backups in pg15

Thanks, Laurenz. I appreciate your explanation.

So, in the test case that Fujii sent, the server crashed during backup so it was safe to remove "backup_label".

However, in case of a completed exclusive backup, if you remove "backup_label" and then try to bring up server using the same backed up data as PGDATA, then you will have corrupted server. I get it. But I see this case as a user who is deliberately corrupting the server. There are tons of scenarios to corrupt a database from outside postgres. Postgres cannot be responsible for these type of user introduced corruptions.

In my humble opinion with respect to all, if this is the only reason (removing "backup_label" thus introducing corruption) for removing exclusive backups, I think it is an oversight by the Postgres Development Group approving this change.

-----Original Message-----
From: Laurenz Albe <laurenz(dot)albe(at)cybertec(dot)at>
Sent: Saturday, November 9, 2024 11:34 PM
To: Murthy Nunna <mnunna(at)fnal(dot)gov>; Pgsql-admin <pgsql-admin(at)lists(dot)postgresql(dot)org>
Subject: Re: Running rsync backups in pg15

You would normally end up with data corruption or an error if you removed "backup_label"
from a properly taken backup. Manually removing "backup_label" is dangerous. It is safe to do if the server crashed while in exclusive backup mode, but it is detrimental anywhere else.

Yours,
Laurenz Albe