PostgreSQL 9 Administration Cookbook - Second Edition

Moving objects between tablespaces

Moving data between tablespaces may sometimes be required.

Getting ready

First, create your tablespaces. Once the old and new tablespaces exist, we can issue the commands to move them.

How to do it…

Tablespaces can contain both permanent and temporary objects.

Permanent data objects are tables, indexes, and TOAST objects. We don't need to worry too much about TOAST objects because they are created in and always live in the same tablespace as their main table. So, if you alter the tablespace of a table, its TOAST objects will also move:

ALTER TABLE mytable SET TABLESPACE new_tablespace;

Indexes can exist in separate tablespaces, and moving a table leaves the indexes where they are. Don't forget to run ALTER INDEX