Know which backup you have
PostgreSQL documents several backup approaches, including SQL dumps, filesystem-level backups and continuous archiving. They have different requirements and recovery options. Choose a procedure that matches your database version and the recovery outcome you need. A copied data directory is not automatically a valid live backup.
Label each backup with its source, method, time and required keys or credentials. Keep the recovery instructions available outside the failed system. A backup that depends on an inaccessible password manager or a missing encryption key may not be usable when it matters.
Restore somewhere isolated
Use an environment that cannot accidentally overwrite production data or send real customer messages. Confirm the target before starting. Restore the database using the documented method, then verify that the application can read a representative set of records.
Choose checks that mean something: an older article, a recent update, a related record and a known attachment reference. Count checks alone can miss broken relationships. Record the restored point in time and any unavailable data, rather than describing the outcome simply as “backup works”.
Measure the whole recovery
Time access retrieval, provisioning, data transfer, restoration and application verification. The database restore command may be only a small part of the recovery window. Include the time needed for a person to understand the instructions.
Finish with an action list: missing credentials, outdated steps, slow transfers or unexplained warnings. Assign each item. Repeat the drill after significant database or backup changes. This guide proposes a rehearsal structure; use the database vendor’s instructions for the actual restoration commands.
Before you finish
- Target isolated from production
- Recovery credentials available
- Representative records verified
- End-to-end duration recorded
Technical reference
PostgreSQL: backup and restore