Add option for parallel streaming of the transaction log while a
base backup is running, to get the logfiles before the server has
removed them.
Also add a tool called pg_receivexlog, which streams the transaction
log into files, creating a log archive without having to wait for
segments to complete, thus decreasing the window of data loss without
having to waste space using archive_timeout. This works best in
combination with archive_command - suggested usage docs etc coming later.
This tool makes it possible to do the pg_start_backup/
copy files/pg_stop_backup step in a single command.
There are still some steps to be done before this is a
complete backup solution, such as the ability to stream
the required WAL logs, but it's still usable, and
could do with some buildfarm coverage.
In passing, make the checkpoint request optionally
fast instead of hardcoding it.
Magnus Hagander, reviewed by Fujii Masao and Dimitri Fontaine