When backing up JIRA's database (postgresql) does JIRA need to stopped?

[Joe]

Or can I backup postgresql database regardless of whether JIRA is on? I couldn't find this when looking through the community articles

Is it possible for the postgresql database to be backed up at a point in time that would prevent a backup being restored properly?

[Alexey Matveev]

It depends on the technology, which you use to backup your posgresql. If does not depend on Jira.

[Joe]

I would be using the native support for postgres i.e pg_dump to do the backups

[Alexey Matveev]

You can find an answer here:

https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/13742/does-running-pg-dump-on-live-db-produce-consistent-backups

It is said, that you can do it online.

[Joe]

I understand that a postgresql database can be backed up while it is running.

Can I backup a postgresql database used by JIRA without worrying about when I do it? Does every transaction by JIRA leave the postgresql database in a recoverable/consistent state?

[Alexey Matveev]

It is not Jira, which is responsible for handling transactions during backups. It it pg_dump. It is written, that the backup will be consistent. You can try to look for confirmation in the oficial documentation or ask on the relating forums.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Bear in mind that although it'll get a consistent database, you need to think about how to snapshot the attachments too (and the rest of the system if you're doing a more active fail-over type thing)

[Joe]

@Alexey Matveev, I think there is some misunderstanding. I understand pg_dump will create a consistent backup.

Anyway, it sounds like I don't need to turn off JIRA when taking a pg_dump of postgresql database, or take a lock like in the recommended process for backing up bitbucket https://confluence.atlassian.com/bitbucketserver/using-bitbucket-server-diy-backup-776640056.html

Any jira database backup at any point in time results in a database backup that when restored can be used by JIRA to continue where things left off.

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist-

If it already exists,  is there a community article you can point me to that addresses this issue? I would guess it is similar to what the bitbucket backup process is where I can take a backup of the /var/atlassian/jira/.../data folder.

Thank you both for your time and answers so far.

[Joe]

to add onto that, I am looking to create minimal automation backup process that can I use to restore JIRA to the backup point with all the bells and whistles (i.e attachments, and whatever else there is) and platform independent, i.e make the transition from say, ubuntu, to rhel easy

It sounds like i just need to backup the database, and the attachments, at the same point in time. Now that I think about it some more, I should probably just shut off JIRA service when performing the backup

[Alexey Matveev]

That would be a better option. But sometimes Jira must be up 24/7 and it is not possible.