Alexey Rodriguez Yakushev <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Let me rephrase the question, i have a web-based application which uses > postgres as its backend. It must be operating 24 hours 7 days. If i want to > make a backup of the database using pg_dump, wouldn't it be possible that a > transaction occurs in the middle of the backup, leaving the backup > inconsistent? No. pg_dump will produce a consistent snapshot that does not show the effects of transactions that start (or complete) after the pg_dump transaction starts. See the "multi-version concurrency control" chapter of the User's Guide. Postgres has its share of problems for 24x7 operation (read about VACUUM if you haven't yet) ... but producing self-consistent backups is not one of 'em. regards, tom lane ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 3: if posting/reading through Usenet, please send an appropriate subscribe-nomail command to [EMAIL PROTECTED] so that your message can get through to the mailing list cleanly