How to Back Up PostgreSQL in Docker (Local, S3, and Plakar)
15 hours ago
- PostgreSQL backups in Docker can be done using pg_dumpall with gzip, storing locally or to S3, with cron scheduling and pruning.
- Traditional daily full SQL dumps are inefficient because even small changes require transferring the entire database each day, leading to high storage and transfer costs.
- Plakar offers deduplication by storing chunks across snapshots, drastically reducing transfer and storage (e.g., ~64 GB/year vs ~12.5 TB for a growing 10 GB DB).
- Setting up Plakar involves creating a repository (local or S3), configuring aliases and a passphrase, and using scripts for backup and restore.
- Plakar supports incremental-like snapshots that are standalone; pruning policies (e.g., keep 1 per day for 7 days) automate deletion of old snapshots.
- For S3, install the Plakar S3 plugin, add a store alias with AWS credentials, and then use the same backup/restore scripts with the S3 repository.
- Plakar simplifies switching between storage backends (local, S3, others) with nearly identical commands, and its built-in maintenance handles data cleanup.