Copying tables as a backup

nvk9 · April 2016

Hi,

I understand there's a means to backup a table via vbr.py, but as far as I understand this script can be invoked only by the dbadmin.

We're looking at backing up our tables by creating a backup table using the CREATE TABLE statement along with the LIKE clause and then performing a COPY. In this case, will all the data be copied over to the new table, or under the hood will there be only a rearrangement of pointers? We're trying to evaluate the space requirements associated with performing a full COPY of the table.

Thanks!

eli_revach · April 2016

Hi ,

Using this method you will have two separate objects with separate data ( full duplication )

Thanks

nvk9 · April 2016

Perfect, thank you Eli!

tharanga · September 2016

There is a much faster way to copy tables in Vertica 8.0.

It's a simple meta-function, called copy_table. syntax is:

=>select copy_table('source_table','dest_table');

That's it. This is the fastest way to copy a table as a backup, no disk IO involved, 1000X faster than Create Table .. As Select..

Disk space: no need to have additional disk space upfront, but as two tables diverge (deletes/updates/inserts/merge out), they will get their own storage.

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Copying tables as a backup

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