pghoard VS CloudLinux

• Multi-cloud object storage support
  pghoard supports backing up to multiple cloud storage providers including AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage, Swift, and local filesystem, giving flexibility in choosing or switching backup destinations.
• Streaming WAL archiving and compression
  It supports continuous WAL streaming and archiving with built-in compression (using algorithms like Snappy, LZMA, or zstd) and encryption, reducing storage costs and improving backup transfer efficiency.
• Point-in-time recovery (PITR)
  pghoard enables point-in-time recovery by combining base backups with WAL segments, allowing restoration of a PostgreSQL database to any specific moment, which is critical for disaster recovery scenarios.
• Open source and actively maintained by Aiven
  Being maintained by Aiven, a company specializing in managed database services, pghoard benefits from real-world production use, ongoing updates, and community contributions, ensuring reliability and continued support.
• REST API and monitoring integration
  It provides a REST API for managing and monitoring backup operations, and can integrate with monitoring systems, making it easier to automate backup workflows and track backup health in production environments.

Possible disadvantages

• PostgreSQL-specific tool
  pghoard is designed exclusively for PostgreSQL, so organizations using multiple database systems would need separate backup solutions for other databases, increasing operational complexity.
• Complex initial setup and configuration
  Setting up pghoard requires careful configuration of cloud storage credentials, encryption keys, and WAL-G-like settings, which can be complex for users unfamiliar with PostgreSQL internals or cloud storage APIs.
• Limited GUI or dashboard
  pghoard primarily operates via command-line and configuration files with a basic REST API, lacking a polished web-based dashboard for easier visualization and management compared to some commercial backup solutions.
• Documentation gaps for edge cases
  While basic documentation exists, users have reported that some advanced use cases, troubleshooting steps, and edge-case scenarios are not thoroughly documented, requiring deeper investigation into the source code.
• Smaller community compared to alternatives
  Compared to more widely adopted tools like pgBackRest or Barman, pghoard has a smaller user community and fewer third-party resources, tutorials, or plugins, which may limit support options for troubleshooting.

• Enhanced Server Stability
  CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
• Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
  CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
• Resource Limit Management
  Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
• CageFS File System Virtualization
  CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
• Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
  CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

• Additional Licensing Cost
  CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
• Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
  CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
• Learning Curve for Configuration
  While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
• Potential Performance Overhead
  The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
• Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
  Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

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When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

• Pgbackrest is no longer being maintained

  The "closest" would be using Barman with hook scripts (https://docs.pgbarman.org/release/3.18.0/user_guide/hook_scripts.html#hook-scripts-using-barman-cloud-scripts-as-hooks-in-barman) if you rely on cloud storage for storing backups.... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

• Future PostgreSQL: improvement to the replication protocol

  This story starts with our own PgHoard, a PITR backup tool for PostgreSQL. PgHoard offers several methods to archive the WAL (Write Ahead Log), including pg_receivewal, a small application shipping with PostgreSQL which connects to a... - Source: dev.to / almost 5 years ago

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.