Episode

You Don't Need a Database Backup Policy

with Karen Jex

POSETTE: An Event for Postgres 2024

Video of a conference talk about why you don't need a database backup policy presented by Karen Jex at POSETTE: An Event for Postgres 2024. I can hear what you’re thinking: “Don’t be ridiculous, Karen! Of course I need a database backup policy. All hell will break loose if I don’t backup my Postgres databases.”

Hear me out. A backup policy specifies things like type and frequency of backups, backup tool(s), backup storage and retention. But how do you decide those things? Finger in the air? Copy what you put in place for your other Postgres databases?

Since the primary goal of backing up your Postgres databases is probably to recover data in case of failure, it makes more sense to consider the types of failure you need to be able to recover from, how quickly you need to recover, and how much data you can afford to lose. The answers to these recovery-based questions will determine how and when you take backups. In this talk, we’ll look at the different things you need to consider in order to be confident in your ability to recover your Postgres database from disaster.

Karen was a database administrator for over 20 years and was once described as ""quite personable for a DBA"", which she decided to take as a compliment! She's now a Senior Solutions Architect, helping her customers to design and manage their (PostgreSQL) database environments. Karen is on the PostgreSQL Europe board, co-organises the pgDay Paris event and helps out as a volunteer at other PostgreSQL community events. Karen gives talks about databases at PostgreSQL and developer conferences because she loves sharing knowledge.