mengel@notes.cc.sunysb.edu writes:
> We just tar/gzip the entire data directory. It takes all of 20 sec. We've
> successfully restored from that also.
You've been very lucky ... unless you stopped the postmaster while
taking the backup. Without that, this method WILL screw you someday.
(But as long as you're willing to stop the postmaster, it's a perfectly
reasonable option.)
regards, tom lane