Re: pg_basebackup from cascading standby after timeline switch

Simon Riggs <simon(at)2ndQuadrant(dot)com> writes:
> On 17 December 2012 14:16, Heikki Linnakangas <hlinnakangas(at)vmware(dot)com> wrote:
>> I also wonder if pg_basebackup should
>> include *all* timeline history files in the backup, not just the latest one
>> strictly required to restore.

> Why? the timeline history file includes the previous timelines already.

The original intention was that the WAL archive might contain multiple
timeline files corresponding to various experimental recovery attempts;
furthermore, such files might be hand-annotated (that's why there's a
comment provision). So they would be at least as valuable from an
archival standpoint as the WAL files proper. I think we ought to just
copy all of them, period. Anything less is penny-wise and
pound-foolish.

regards, tom lane