7 ms·

Ask HN: PostgreSQL and other server backup services?

11 points by ProblemFactory 12y ago

Hi all, I'm looking to back up user-generated data on a server. This includes a PostgreSQL database and a few directories with uploaded files. Both are fairly small for now (<1GB). I could hack something up with cron, pg_dump and rsync, but would rather prefer paying for a hosted service that knows what they are doing. Surprisingly, all the backup services I've found so far seem to be for home desktops, but this must be a common need for everyone that runs servers? If I do have to set it up myself, then any suggestions about best practices are of course also welcome.

benologist 12y ago
Do you just want backups or hosted/managed? Heroku have a huge postgres platform with backups, forking!, etc - https://www.heroku.com/postgres https://www.heroku.com/postgres
- ProblemFactory 12y ago
  Thanks for the suggestion. However, for now I'd like to avoid building my entire app "the Heroku way", and keep the PostgreSQL server hosted on the same server or at least the same network as the rest of the app. But you are right in that perhaps a fully managed PostgreSQL server is the way to go for reliability.
  - benologist 12y ago
    I don't think you're required to move anything, when you create an app and add the database you're given the db credentials and can access it from whatever you want and it scales/bills independently from the hosting platform. There's also AWS: http://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/ http://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/
joshmn 12y ago
https://github.com/meskyanichi/backup https://github.com/meskyanichi/backup might be a good solution. Even if you don't know Ruby, it's amazingly straightforward. Edit: http://learnaholic.me/2012/10/10/backing-up-postgresql-with-backup-and-whatever-gems/ http://learnaholic.me/2012/10/10/backing-up-postgresql-with-... for scheduling, too (if you want to leave cron alone)
- ProblemFactory 12y ago
  Thanks, that looks very useful!
knurdle 12y ago
https://www.jungledisk.com/ https://www.jungledisk.com/ Their interface isn't the greatest but it works.

benologist 12y ago

Do you just want backups or hosted/managed? Heroku have a huge postgres platform with backups, forking!, etc - https://www.heroku.com/postgres https://www.heroku.com/postgres

ProblemFactory 12y ago
Thanks for the suggestion. However, for now I'd like to avoid building my entire app "the Heroku way", and keep the PostgreSQL server hosted on the same server or at least the same network as the rest of the app. But you are right in that perhaps a fully managed PostgreSQL server is the way to go for reliability.
- benologist 12y ago
  I don't think you're required to move anything, when you create an app and add the database you're given the db credentials and can access it from whatever you want and it scales/bills independently from the hosting platform. There's also AWS: http://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/ http://aws.amazon.com/rds/postgresql/

joshmn 12y ago

https://github.com/meskyanichi/backup https://github.com/meskyanichi/backup might be a good solution. Even if you don't know Ruby, it's amazingly straightforward. Edit: http://learnaholic.me/2012/10/10/backing-up-postgresql-with-backup-and-whatever-gems/ http://learnaholic.me/2012/10/10/backing-up-postgresql-with-... for scheduling, too (if you want to leave cron alone)

ProblemFactory 12y ago
Thanks, that looks very useful!

knurdle 12y ago

https://www.jungledisk.com/ https://www.jungledisk.com/ Their interface isn't the greatest but it works.