<para>

You can also use the <xref linkend="app-pgbasebackup"> tool to take

the backup, instead of manually copying the files. This tool willtake

care of the <function>pg_start_backup()</>, copy and

the backup, instead of manually copying the files. This tool willdo

the equivalent of <function>pg_start_backup()</>, copy and

<function>pg_stop_backup()</> steps automatically, and transfers the

backup over a regular <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> connection

using the replication protocol, instead of requiring filesystem level

access.

access. pg_basebackup does not interfere with filesystem level backups

taken using <function>pg_start_backup()</>/<function>pg_stop_backup()</>.

</para>

<para>

</para>

<para>

Only one backup can be concurrently active in

<productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, meaning that only one instance of

<application>pg_basebackup</application> can run at the same time

against a single database cluster.

There can be multiple pg_basebackups running at the same time, but it is

better from a performance point of view to take only one backup, and copy

the the result.

</para>

</refsect1>