Live DB Recovery

Question

Hi All, 
 We have a 2008r2 server on which a PSQL DB and the application that uses it coexists on the same non O/S partition. It is in use 24/7/365. 
 Is it reasonable to believe that a "live recovery" of this partition would work as advertised in the event that it was compromised? That is to say recover it on the fly while the users continued unaware? 
 I would agree that testing would be beneficial but short of building a lab and purchasing additional licenses it's just not practical. 
 Thanks In Advance

Tudor.Popescu · Answer

Hi Corrigun: 
RapidRecovery does not really understand PSQL. As such, if a PSQL VSS writer is available, it will probably back it up properly. However, it has no way of handling the PSQL metadata. 
If no VSS writer is available, the backup will be crash consistent vs Application Consistent. If your databases are not hammered with I/O requests this may not be a big issue (although by no means it is right). In previous experience as a Sys Admin, out of 3 moderately loaded MsSQL server backups I was getting at least on good restore (in most cases all of them were OK). 
Going back to Live Recovery, it would work with MSSQL (the MSSQL Server knows where to find the databases which are available during the restore) -- I have first hand experience -- but I do not see how it would work with PSQL although, miracles do happen... I suspect that if the PSQL database engine service is able to start and if there is a VSS writer specific to PSQL there is a good chance -- I would say 30% or so that somehow the Live recovery would work. 
I apologize in advance by moving on hypothetical grounds and speculating from there.