[postgis-users] PostgreSQL/PostGIS Replication/Synchronisation Using Only RSync

[Donald Kerr]

Hi list,

I posted a question back in February 2012 regarding replication or
synchronisation of a PostgreSQL/PostGIS database and I'm not at the point
where I need to action a plan. The original question was as follows and was
posted to pgsql-cluster-hackers which was probably the wrong list:

The scenario is a server (master database - PostgreSQL/PostGIS) containing
gis information (lots of it - Maybe up to 80Gb in about 25 tables). This
serves maps to clients across an internal intranet. There are also about 180
clients that are mobile, i.e. in vehicles, each with there own readonly copy
of PostgreSQL/PostGIS serving maps locally on the vehicles. If I update
tables with fresh information on the master, on a quarterly basis, I would
like these updates to be trickled out to the copies that exist on the
vehicles. The vehicles are on wireless lan for about 80% of the time but are
out and about for the other 20%.

I have had a quick look at replication with version 9 and it would probably
work but I want to control the timing of update requests from the clients. I
currently use Rsync to align other folders and I wondered if this would be
suitable for keeping the PostGIS data aligned. Using Rsync, I can align the
whole data structure. The question is, would this work and, if so, are there
any files that I should exclude?

Any advice appreciated.

Many thanks.

Regards,

Donald