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I back Postgres DB 9.1 up using following command:

pg_basebackup -h 127.0.0.1 -U replicationuser -D /storage/test_backup -Ft -z -P

In postgresql.conf I have this set:

wal_level = hot_standby

However, at the end of pg_basebackup run I get this warning:

NOTICE: WAL archiving is not enabled; you must ensure that all required WAL segments are copied through other means to complete the backup

I care about the backup of data from time of starting pg_basebackup only (I can afford a bit of downtime in the night, so I shut down the app server that is using this PG instance as backend DB and then start the backup). I do not need nor aim to have "continuous backup".

Question: do I really have to copy the WAL to have complete backup from the time of starting pg_basebackup command? Or is that warning designed strictly for purpose of achieving "continuous archive" functionality?

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  • Is there a specific reason of using pg_basebackup instead of pg_dumpall?
    – András Váczi
    Commented Sep 16, 2014 at 8:07
  • Several: it's a "single app" db server but containing several databases all of them used simultaneously by the app - backing them all up at specific "checkpoint" time ensures consistency, we do not miss anything with custom stuff, plus downtime is lower - with "hot_standby" setting in PG I can shutdown appserver, start backup, and start appserver again (provided that I back up only the state from the time when app server was shut down and do not store further app-related transactions).
    – LetMeSOThat4U
    Commented Sep 16, 2014 at 8:30

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Question: do I really have to copy the WAL to have complete backup from the time of starting pg_basebackup command?

Yes, you do.

The DB needs current WAL to start up from the base backup.

You can use pg_basebackup -X stream on 9.3 and above to copy all the required WAL along with the initial basebackup.

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