Re: Impact of checkpoint_segments under continual load conditions - Mailing list pgsql-performance

From Tom Lane
Subject Re: Impact of checkpoint_segments under continual load conditions
Date
Msg-id 18942.1121624154@sss.pgh.pa.us
Whole thread Raw
In response to Impact of checkpoint_segments under continual load conditions  (Christopher Petrilli <petrilli@gmail.com>)
List pgsql-performance
Christopher Petrilli <petrilli@gmail.com> writes:
> I have a unique scenerio.  My DB is under "continual load", meaning
> that I am constantly using COPY to insert new data into the DB.  There
> is no "quiet period" for the database, at least not for hours on end.
> Normally, checkpoint_segments can help absorb some of that, but my
> experience is that if I crank the number up, it simply delays the
> impact, and when it occurs, it takes a VERY long time (minutes) to
> clear.

If you are using 8.0, you can probably alleviate the problem by making
the bgwriter more aggressive.  I don't have any immediate
recommendations for specific settings though.

A small checkpoint_segments setting is definitely bad news for
performance under heavy load.

            regards, tom lane

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