Aidan Van Dyk wrote: > * Heikki Linnakangas <heikki.linnakan...@enterprisedb.com> [100211 09:17]: > >> If the file is just being copied to the archive when restore_command >> ('cp', say) is launched, it will copy a half file. That's not a problem >> for PITR, because PITR will end at the end of valid WAL anyway, but >> returning a half WAL file in standby mode is a problem. > > But it can be a problem - without the last WAL (or at least enough of > it) the master switched and archived, you have no guarantee of having > being consistent again (I'm thinking specifically of recovering from a > fresh backup)
You have to wait for the last WAL file required by the backup to be archived before starting recovery. Otherwise there's no guarantee anyway. >> We could well just document that you should do that, ie. make sure the >> file appears in the archive atomically with the right size. > > I have to admit, today was the first time I went and re-read the PITR > docs, and no, the docs don't seem to talk about that... Maybe it was > just plain obvious to me because it (the atomic apperance) is something > unix devloppers have always had to deal with, so it's ingrained in me. > But I'm *sure* that I've seen that bandied around as common knowledge on > the lists, and one of the reasons we alway see warnings about using > rsync instead of plain SCP, etc. > > So ya, we should probably mention that somewhere in the docs. Section > 24.3.6. Caveats? -1. it isn't necessary for PITR. It's a new requirement for standby_mode='on', unless we add the file size check into the backend. I think we should add the file size check to the backend instead and save admins the headache. -- Heikki Linnakangas EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com -- Sent via pgsql-hackers mailing list (pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-hackers