PostgreSQL Backup Manager is installed and updated through Monitor Installation manager. The installation creates a desktop shortcut. If the shortcut is not available, you can start the application manually. The default location for PostgreSQL Backup Manager is: "C:\Program Files\Monitor ERP System AB\MONITOR Postgres Backup\Monitor.Postgres.Backup.Manager.exe".

The Status & Log tab shows the current state of your backup system and provides a history of recent backup operations.

• Backup Agent Status: Shows whether the Backup Agent Service is installed and running on your system. Possible statuses are Running, Stopped, Paused, and Not installed.

• Last Backup: Displays the date and time of the most recent successful backup.

• Last Duration: Here you can see how long the most recent backup took to complete.

• Next Backup: Indicates when the next scheduled backup will run.

• Open logs folder: Opens the folder containing detailed backup logs, which are retained for 30 days.

• Backup History: Displays the 50 most recent backup operations, including their status, duration, and backup type.

• Refresh: With this button you reload the current status and backup history.

Use this tab to configure the core backup settings and PostgreSQL connection details.

• Backup directory: The Windows path where backup files will be stored (for example, C:\Backups\PostgreSQL). Make sure this location has sufficient disk space available.

• PostgreSQL binaries directory: Here you should enter the path to your PostgreSQL installation’s bin folder, where pg_basebackup.exe is located (for example, C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\18\bin).

• Host name (PostgreSQL): The host name or IP address of your PostgreSQL server. Use “localhost” for local installations.

• Port: The PostgreSQL server port. The default value here is 5432.

• Login username (PostgreSQL): Here you should enter a PostgreSQL user account with replication privileges or superuser access. The default username is “postgres”.

• Login password (PostgreSQL): Here you enter the password for the PostgreSQL user account. It is stored securely in encrypted form.

Click Save settings to apply your changes.

Use this tab to define when scheduled backups should run.

• Full backup time: Here you enter the time of day when the daily full (base) backup should run. Enter the value using a 24-hour format.

An initial backup will be performed immediately after the installation is completed. Subsequent backups will run according to the schedule.

Click Save schedule to apply the schedule.

Use this tab to configure e-mail notifications for backup events. You can create multiple notification rules with different triggers.

• Name: Here you should enter a descriptive name for the notification rule (for example, ”E-mail to IT” or “Alert on failure”).

• Trigger when: Select when the notification should be sent.

• Backup succeeds: Sends a notification when a backup completes successfully.

• Backup fails: Sends a notification when a backup encounters an error.

The application currently supports only SMTP.

SMTP

• SMTP Host: Server address (e.g., smtp.gmail.com, smtp.office365.com).

• SMTP Port: Here you enter the server port to use. Server ports normally used are 587 for TLS, 465 for SSL, and 25 for unencrypted.

• SMTP Username: Here you enter your e-mail account username.

• SMTP Password: Your e-mail account password or app-specific password.

• Use SSL/TLS: Enable encrypted connection (recommended).

• Sender e-mail: E-mail address that will appear as the sender.

• Recipient e-mail: E-mail address that will receive the notifications.

Test Notification: Use the Test Notification button in the dialog to verify your e-mail configuration before saving.

Click Add New Notification to create a new notification rule. Use the edit (pencil) and delete (trash) icons in the Actions column to manage existing notifications.

Post-backup hooks allow the backup agent to run one or more external commands after each backup is completed. Hooks are useful for automating follow-up actions such as copying a backup to another location, uploading it, or sending a custom notification. The list shows all configured hooks and their settings.

Please note! The command path must point to a valid executable file or script on the machine where the backup agent runs. Make sure the backup agent service account has permission to start the command and access any folders or network locations used by the hook.

How post-backup hooks work

• A hook runs after a backup finishes, regardless of whether the backup succeeded or failed.

• You can configure multiple hooks.

• Hooks are run in a fire-and-forget manner, which means they do not block the backup schedule.

• Each hook runs the command you configure and receives information about the completed backup.

Add New Hook

Click Add New Hook to open a dialog box where you can configure a new hook. The dialog includes the following settings:

• Enabled: Here you determine whether the hook will run.

• Command: Enter the path to the executable file or script that should be run.

• Parameter Mode: Controls how backup information is passed to the hook. The available options are CommandLine and EnvironmentVariables.

• Timeout (seconds): Enter the maximum time the hook process is allowed to run before it is terminated.

CommandLine: Backup information is passed to the command as CommandLine arguments.

EnvironmentVariables: Backup information is passed to the command through environment variables.

1. Go to the Backup tab in the installation manager and click the New backup task button .

   

2. Under the Settings tab you enter a Name of scheduled task.

   The default Backup directory for a new backup task is according to Standard path for backup files: in the Settings tab. This is where the backup files* are saved. You can select a different backup directory for this backup task.

   The default Directory for backup logs corresponds to the Standard path for backup logs in the Settings tab. Text files with logs of each backup run are saved here.

   Truncate log file (default) means the relevant log file "monitor.log” for the database is cleared of transactions after the backup task has been run. Truncation is recommend in order to minimize the size of the log file.

   Validate backup (default) means that the backup files are validated after the backup task has run. This validation is performed in a separate session of the database server and checks that the backup files are not corrupt.

   Only backup of the log file means that only the log file "monitor.log" is included in the backup. A reason to activate this setting may be that you need to run backup tasks very frequently (e.g., every hour), because there are many transactions made in the database in a short time. Then you can choose to only backup the log file (which is quick to run a backup task on). If a reset should be necessary, it is possible to recreate the database by using the most recent regular backup task of the database file and log file, plus all the separate log files in chronological order for this backup task.

   Please note! A backup task which only backups the log file should be created as a separate backup task. For this backup task there must be a regular backup task which does not have this setting activated, and which runs, for example, 1 time per 24 hours.

   Enter Use the following user account when running the task. By default, this is the user logged in to Windows on the server. However, you can use the Change user button in Windows to enter a different user. You can then enter the user’s password.

3. Under the Databases tab you mark the database to include in the backup task. This will activate the OK button. By clicking that button you will create a manual backup task. You must then enter the user’s password (see point 7 below). You run manual backup by using the Start button under the Backup tab in the installation manager.

   

4. If you want to create a scheduled backup task, go to the Schedule tab instead of clicking the OK button. There you create the scheduling of the backup task. An alternative is to subsequently use the Edit backup task button under the Backup tab.
   

   Under the Schedule tab you activate Scheduled task.

   

   Select Type. The options are Week, Month, and Last day of the month.

   Enter a Time and the Days or Months on which the backup task should be performed. If Type has been set to Month, you also get to select a Date in the months when the backup task should be performed.

5. Under the E-mail tab you configure if and when e-mail should be sent in connection to when the backup task is run.

   

   Configure the Send e-mail regarding backup setting. Here you decide if an e-mail should be sent Always, In case of error, or Never. The default option is In case of error. This means an e-mail is sent only if the backup task failed. If you select Always, it means an e-mail will be sent also in cases when the backup task was been performed. Choose the Never option if you do not want an e-mail to be sent regardless of if the backup task has been performed or if it has failed.

   Configure the E-mail setting to Standard or Manual. Standard is the default option and this will use the general e-mail settings for receiver and subject. If you select Manual, you can change this information in the To and Subject fields for the backup task in question. You can enter more than one e-mail address by separating them using semicolon (;) in the To field.

6. Click OK in the dialog in order to create the backup task. A scheduled task is then also created in the Windows Task Scheduler.

7. Finally, you must enter the Password for the selected user who will run the task. Then, click OK.

   

1. If you need to make changes to an existing backup task, you select the task under the Backup tab and click the Edit backup task button (this button is active if you mark a backup task).
2. Make the changes you wish to do under the respective tabs Settings, Databases, Schedule, and E-mail, and then click the OK button.
3. When you have made the changed you must also transfer these changes to the task in the Task Scheduler in Windows. This is done using the Update the scheduled tasks button under the Backup tab.

General backup settings

The general backup settings concerns notifications sent via e-mail when running backup tasks, and when copying tasks for test companies. Here you can also configure settings regarding communication with your e-mail server. You only need to configure these settings once. These settings will then apply by default for all backup tasks and copying tasks for test companies, that you create.

1. Click the button called Backup settings... at the bottom left corner of the Backup tab in the installation manager.

2. Under the Notifications tab you can activate that notifications should be sent via e-mail to one or several receivers which have entered in the field. You can enter more than one e-mail address by using a semicolon (;) in the field to separate them. With the Test e-mail button you can send a test e-mail to receivers to test the function. Receiver/recipient of notifications can also be entered per backup task.
   

   Detailed information about successful and failed backup tasks is saved in a log file for each backup task. You access such logs via the Logs button under the Backup tab.

3. Under the tab called E-mail settings you configure which Server (e-mail server) and Port to use to send notification via e-mail. You also enter a User name and Password for a Windows account which have permission to send e-mail via the entered e-mail server. In the Sender address field you enter an e-mail address which will function as the sender of the notifications. Activate Use SSL if the e-mail server requires it. Then you should also enter which Port the e-mail server uses for SSL.
   
4. Click the OK button when you have completed the general backup settings.