If not very big, a pg_dump/pg_restore will be your best option. 8.3 to 8.4 is not a traumatic upgrade. In fact, it's really easy and probably you won't need to change your database schema.
And pg_restore in 8.4 is really FAST (compared with previous versions).
-----Original Message-----
From: Lewis Kapell <lkapell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: pgsql-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Migrating from 8.3 to 8.4 on the same server
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:29:23 -0400
In the documentation under the heading "Migration Between Releases" we read: <<It is also possible to use replication methods, such as Slony, to create a slave server with the updated version of PostgreSQL. The slave can be on the same computer or a different computer. [...] Such a switch-over results in only several seconds of downtime for an upgrade. >> In the section "Warm Standby Servers for High Availability" it says: << For testing purposes, it is possible to run both primary and standby servers on the same system. >> Although this section does not use the term Point-In-Time Recovery, I understand this is what it refers to. Could the WAL/PITR method then be used to upgrade from 8.3 to 8.4 on the same server and avoid having the significant downtime of dump/restore? If so, I understand the two servers would have to run on different ports. Are there any other issues/traps to be aware of? -- Thank you, Lewis Kapell Computer Operations Seton Home Study School
