Veritas NetBackup™ for PostgreSQL Administrator's Guide

Last Published:
Product(s): NetBackup (8.2)
  1. Introduction to NetBackup for PostgreSQL
    1.  
      About NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    2.  
      Features supported by NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    3.  
      The NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent package
    4.  
      About the License for NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
  2. Installing the NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    1.  
      Planning the installation of NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    2.  
      Verifying the operating systems and platforms
    3.  
      Installing prerequisites for NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    4.  
      Post-installation requirements for NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    5.  
      Describing the NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent package
    6.  
      Installing the NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
    7.  
      Authenticating the password
    8.  
      Uninstalling the NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
  3. Configuring NetBackup for PostgreSQL
    1.  
      The nbpgsql.conf configuration file
    2.  
      Configuring PostgreSQL backups with DataStore policies
  4. NetBackup for PostgreSQL backup and restore
    1. About PostgreSQL backups
      1.  
        The postgresql.conf configuration file
    2.  
      Performing PostgreSQL backups
    3.  
      Validating the PostgreSQL backups
    4.  
      Querying the PostgreSQL backups
    5.  
      Deleting backup information from the NetBackup catalog files
    6.  
      About PostgreSQL restore
    7.  
      Performing the PostgreSQL restores
    8.  
      Redirected restores
    9.  
      Recovering the restores
    10.  
      Disaster recovery
  5. Troubleshooting for PostgreSQL
    1.  
      Troubleshooting errors when using NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent
  6. Appendix A. NetBackup for PostgreSQL commands and conventions
    1.  
      About NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent commands
    2.  
      NetBackup for PostgreSQL Agent command conventions
  7. Appendix B. NetBackup for PostgreSQL commands
    1.  
      nbpgsql -o backup
    2.  
      nbpgsql -o restore
    3.  
      nbpgsql -o query
    4.  
      nbpgsql -o delete

About PostgreSQL backups

The nbpgsql -o backup command for backup initiates the backup operation using the -S, -P, and -s as the required parameters. The parameters -l and -z are the required parameters for Linux operating systems.

The parameters portnum and -u are optional parameters. You can configure these parameters in the nbpgsql.conf file or specify on the nbpgsql command line.

After you set the parameters for the backup, the agent reads the parameters and starts the backup according to the specified parameters. The agent writes the data that you want to protect into the WAL files.

These WAL files are then archived in the archive directory that you can create at your chosen location.

When you create the archive or WAL directory, Veritas recommends that you create outside the data directory.

Ensure that before you run a backup, set the parameters in the postgresql.conf file to enable WAL archiving.

For more information, see See The postgresql.conf configuration file.

The agent protects the following files:

  • Schema files that are associated with all database tables.

  • Files that are associated with the database tables.

  • Data and index files.

Note:

Ensure that the PostgreSQL agent and NetBackup are of same version for successful backup and restore operations.

Figure: NetBackup for PostgreSQL backup workflow

NetBackup for PostgreSQL backup workflow
The NetBackup for PostgreSQL workflow

When you run the backup, the agent connects to the PostgreSQL database to execute a flush and read only lock on all tables. The agent then reads the associated PostgreSQL database files from the mounted directory and initiates the backup.

The LVM or VSS, creates a snapshot, and mounts the snapshot. The associated files (whole instance) are archived into file. The agent copies the archived file into the XBSA data object and sends to the NetBackup XBSA interface.

The NetBackup XBSA interface writes this data to the mounted media or disk storage managed by the NetBackup media server.

The command prompt displays the successful completion status of the backup. The Activity Monitor also displays the status for the backup job.