Feedback-ID: ie0a040ee:Fastmail
Message-ID: <a4c77926-e6ff-403c-a0f5-664ebc9e8437@eisentraut.org>
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:07:38 +0200
MIME-Version: 1.0
User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird
Subject: Re: Rename backup_label to recovery_control
Content-Language: en-US
To: David Steele <david@pgmasters.net>, pgsql-hackers@lists.postgresql.org,
 Robert Haas <robertmhaas@gmail.com>
References: <eb3d1aae-1a75-bcd3-692a-38729423168f@pgmasters.net>
 <CA+TgmoYnEdOsMM=4f4GFLhRMyiFBLT50OkFtgY8k20Psjv49zg@mail.gmail.com>
 <f645019f-0a8c-8e40-6303-3562251f2752@pgmasters.net>
From: Peter Eisentraut <peter@eisentraut.org>
In-Reply-To: <f645019f-0a8c-8e40-6303-3562251f2752@pgmasters.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Archived-At: <https://www.postgresql.org/message-id/a4c77926-e6ff-403c-a0f5-664ebc9e8437%40eisentraut.org>
Precedence: bulk

On 16.10.23 17:15, David Steele wrote:
>> I also do wonder with recovery_control is really a better name. Maybe
>> I just have backup_label too firmly stuck in my head, but is what that
>> file does really best described as recovery control? I'm not so sure
>> about that.
> 
> The thing it does that describes it as "recovery control" in my view is 
> that it contains the LSN where Postgres must start recovery (plus TLI, 
> backup method, etc.). There is some other informational stuff in there, 
> but the important fields are all about ensuring consistent recovery.
> 
> At the end of the day the entire point of backup *is* recovery and users 
> will interact with this file primarily in recovery scenarios.

Maybe "restore" is better than "recovery", since recovery also happens 
separate from backups, but restoring is something you do with a backup 
(and there is also restore_command etc.).