pgBackRest for PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04 (Backup + Restore + Encryption + Retention)

pgBackRest is a powerful, open-source backup and restore solution for PostgreSQL, designed to provide reliable, efficient, and secure database protection. It supports full, differential, and incremental backups, WAL archiving, parallel compression, and encryption — all while maintaining low overhead on the production system.

Running pgBackRest on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) ensures long-term stability, high security, and up-to-date PostgreSQL compatibility. Ubuntu 24.04 includes systemd 255, OpenSSL 3, and the latest PostgreSQL 16 packages from the official PGDG repository — making it an excellent environment for setting up enterprise-grade PostgreSQL backup workflows.

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Architecture Overview

Layer	Component	Role
OS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Stable, secure base with long-term support
Database	PostgreSQL 15 / 16	Primary database instance to be backed up
Backup Tool	pgBackRest	Handles backup, restore, archiving, and retention policies
Storage	Local or Remote Repository	Stores backup archives and WAL segments
Encryption	OpenSSL / GPG	Ensures encrypted, tamper-proof backup data
Process Control	systemd	Manages PostgreSQL and pgBackRest services

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Why Use pgBackRest?

• Enterprise-grade reliability – designed for large PostgreSQL databases.
• Parallel processing – fast backups and restores using multiple streams.
• Compression and encryption – saves storage space and secures data.
• Full + incremental backups – efficient retention and recovery strategy.
• WAL archiving – supports point-in-time recovery (PITR).
• Remote backups – supports SSH-based offsite or central repository setups.
• Automated retention policies – keeps recent backups and prunes older ones automatically.

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pgBackRest vs Other Backup Tools

Feature / Capability	pgBackRest	Barman	Native pg_basebackup
Incremental backups	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Compression	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Parallel processing	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Encryption	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Retention policies	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Remote backups	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Limited
PITR (WAL restore)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes

pgBackRest is the preferred choice for production PostgreSQL environments requiring high-performance, encrypted, and automated backups.

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Security & Best Practices

• Use dedicated PostgreSQL and pgBackRest users for separation of privileges.
• Store configuration files under /etc/pgbackrest with restrictive permissions (750).
• Enable encryption for both data and communication channels.
• Mount or map backup storage to separate disks or network shares for isolation.
• Schedule automated full and incremental backups via systemd timers or cron jobs.
• Keep WAL archiving enabled to allow point-in-time recovery (PITR).
• Monitor backups regularly with pgbackrest info and integrate with Prometheus or Grafana.
• Use UFW or nftables to limit access to backup repositories if remote.

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Typical Use Cases

• Production PostgreSQL environments requiring robust disaster recovery.
• Large databases with frequent transactions and WAL activity.
• Organizations implementing offsite or encrypted backup policies.
• Database administrators needing point-in-time recovery or long-term archival.
• Cloud and hybrid deployments using object storage (S3, Azure Blob, GCS) via pgBackRest plugins.

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Deploying pgBackRest for PostgreSQL on Ubuntu 24.04 provides a secure, efficient, and enterprise-grade backup solution that ensures data durability, quick recovery, and minimal downtime — making it the go-to choice for serious PostgreSQL deployments.

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Step 1: Create a Server Instance on Shape.Host

Log in to your Shape.Host account.

Click Create → Instance.

Choose your preferred data center location.

Select a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 20 GB SSD.

Choose Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the operating system.

Click Create Instance.

Once created, note down your public IP address under the Resources section.

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Step 2: Connect to Your Server

Use SSH to connect to the instance.

• Linux/macOS: ssh root@your_server_ip
• Windows (PuTTY):
  1. Open PuTTY.
  2. Enter the IP address and connect as root.

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Step 3: Install PostgreSQL

First, update system repositories:

apt update

Install the required utilities and PostgreSQL packages:

apt install curl wget gnupg lsb-release
apt install postgresql postgresql-client

Enable and start the PostgreSQL service:

systemctl enable postgresql
systemctl start postgresql

Check if PostgreSQL is active:

systemctl status postgresql

You should see the service listed as active (running).

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Step 4: Add the PostgreSQL APT Repository

pgBackRest is distributed through the official PostgreSQL repository.
Add the repository to your system:

echo "deb http://apt.postgresql.org/pub/repos/apt $(lsb_release -cs)-pgdg main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list

Import the PostgreSQL signing key:

wget --quiet -O - https://www.postgresql.org/media/keys/ACCC4CF8.asc | apt-key add -

Update package lists:

apt update

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Step 5: Install pgBackRest

Install pgBackRest:

apt install pgbackrest

Verify the installation:

pgbackrest version

If successful, you’ll see a version number such as pgBackRest 2.x.

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Step 6: Configure pgBackRest

Create the main configuration directory:

mkdir -p /etc/pgbackrest
chown postgres:postgres /etc/pgbackrest
chmod 750 /etc/pgbackrest

Open the configuration file:

nano /etc/pgbackrest/pgbackrest.conf

Paste the following content:

[global]
repo1-path=/var/lib/pgbackrest
repo1-retention-full=2
log-level-console=info
log-level-file=detail
start-fast=y
compress-type=gz

[main]
pg1-path=/var/lib/postgresql/16/main
pg1-port=5432

Explanation

Parameter	Description
repo1-path	Directory where backups will be stored.
repo1-retention-full	Keeps the last two full backups.
compress-type	Uses gzip for compression.
pg1-path	Location of PostgreSQL data directory.
pg1-port	Default PostgreSQL port.

Save and exit (CTRL + O, then CTRL + X).

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Step 7: Configure PostgreSQL for Archiving

Edit the PostgreSQL configuration file:

nano /etc/postgresql/16/main/postgresql.conf

Find and update (or add) these lines:

archive_mode = on
archive_command = 'pgbackrest --stanza=main archive-push %p'
archive_timeout = 60

These settings enable WAL (Write Ahead Log) archiving, allowing pgBackRest to capture and store transaction logs.

Restart PostgreSQL to apply changes:

systemctl restart postgresql

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Step 8: Initialize and Test pgBackRest

Switch to the PostgreSQL user:

su - postgres

Create a new backup stanza:

pgbackrest --stanza=main stanza-create

Check system integrity:

pgbackrest --stanza=main check

Run your first full backup:

pgbackrest --stanza=main --type=full backup

Exit the postgres user:

exit

View backup information:

pgbackrest info

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You’ve successfully installed and configured pgBackRest on Ubuntu 24.04 with PostgreSQL 16.
You can now easily create, verify, and restore backups to ensure your database’s safety.

For high-performance backup solutions with full root access and SSD storage, host your PostgreSQL infrastructure on a Shape.Host Cloud VPS — optimized for reliability and speed.