PolarDB for PostgreSQL backs up each cluster once a day by default. You can change the backup frequency, backup method, and retention period in the PolarDB console to meet your recovery objectives.
Configure a backup policy
Log on to the PolarDB console.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Clusters.
In the upper-left corner, select the region where the cluster is deployed.
Find the cluster and click its ID.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Settings and Management > Backup and Restoration.
Click Modify.
On the Modify page, click Modify. Configure the parameters in the Data Backup, Log Backup, and General sections.
Click OK.
For details about each parameter, see Configure a backup policy.
Backup methods
PolarDB for PostgreSQL supports the following backup methods. The available methods depend on your cluster storage type.
Standard backup
Standard backup runs on the days of the week you specify. Back up at least twice a week for better data protection.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Default retention period | 7 days |
| Retention range | 3 to 14 days |
| Manual deletion | Not supported |
High-frequency backup
High-frequency backup runs every 2, 3, or 4 hours within a 24-hour cycle. This method provides a shorter recovery point objective (RPO) than standard backup.
Log backup
Log backup is enabled by default and cannot be disabled. Log backups capture transaction logs to support point-in-time recovery (PITR).
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Retention range | 3 to 7,300 days |
Level-2 backup (PSL4 and PSL5 storage only)
Clusters that use PSL4 or PSL5 storage support an additional level-2 backup tier.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Level-1 backup retention | 3 to 14 days |
| Level-2 backup retention | 30 to 7,300 days |
| Cross-region storage | Supported, for disaster recovery |
Cluster deletion policy
The General section of the backup policy defines what happens to backups when you delete a cluster:
Retain all backups
Retain the latest backup only
Delete all backups
API operations
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| CreateBackup | Creates a full snapshot backup of a PolarDB cluster. |
| DescribeBackups | Queries the backup information about a PolarDB cluster. |
| DeleteBackup | Deletes the backups of a PolarDB cluster. |