How do I backup and restore OpenERP databases?

Created by Numérigraphe
Keywords:
postgres backup restore database

[Answer courtesy of digitalsatori and Ferdinand @ Camptocamp]
OpenERP provides a very easy way to back up a database and restore it
into a new or existing instance of OpenERP. When you connect OpenERP
server with a browser, you will find a "manage database" link at the
bottom of the login page. Or, if you connect OpenERP server through GTK
client , you will find the similar database management tool under
"FILE-DATABASES" menu.

However, the aforementioned tools are provided at client side. Unless
your client is running at the same box as of OpenERP server or the
database is pretty small or you have a very fast connection with the
OpenERP server, the tool provided became not that practical. As
OpenERP's database is simply a postgresql database, you may use any
postgresql database management tools to backup or restore the database,
such as GUI tool like PGAdmin or command line tools like pgdump and
psql. If you dig deep enough, you will also find more advanced topics
like "Continuous Archiving and Point-In-Time Recovery (PITR)" of PostgreSQL.

you will find all the information related with PostgreSQL backup and
restore here: http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.3/static/backup.html

Please keep in mind that you have to backup/migrate attachments which are stored externally in a directory called filestore or similar, manually.