Re: [Fwd: Deferred Transactions, Transaction Guarantee and COMMITwithout waiting] - Mailing list pgsql-patches
From | Bruce Momjian |
---|---|
Subject | Re: [Fwd: Deferred Transactions, Transaction Guarantee and COMMITwithout waiting] |
Date | |
Msg-id | 200704022001.l32K1ik05276@momjian.us Whole thread Raw |
In response to | Re: [Fwd: Deferred Transactions, Transaction Guarantee and COMMITwithout waiting] ("Simon Riggs" <simon@2ndquadrant.com>) |
List | pgsql-patches |
Your patch has been added to the PostgreSQL unapplied patches list at: http://momjian.postgresql.org/cgi-bin/pgpatches It will be applied as soon as one of the PostgreSQL committers reviews and approves it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Simon Riggs wrote: > Once more, with feeling. > > On Sun, 2007-04-01 at 12:11 +0100, Simon Riggs wrote: > > Resending... > > > > -------- Forwarded Message -------- > > From: Simon Riggs <simon@2ndquadrant.com> > > To: pgsql-patches@postgresql.org > > Cc: pgsql-hackers@postgresql.org > > Subject: Deferred Transactions, Transaction Guarantee and COMMIT without > > waiting > > Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 22:09:23 +0100 > > > > Here's the next version (v10) of the patch, ready for review. > > > > I've struggled with what to call all of the new concepts inherent in > > this patch, but I think I've got something now. COMMIT NOWAIT doesn't > > describe this feature, since there is no command of that name in the > > implementation that we've agreed. So what's it called? > > > > This patch implements a feature called Deferred Fsync Transactions, or > > Deferred Transactions for short. The idea is we don't fsync at commit, > > but we defer that briefly, letting a new WAL Writer process perform the > > fsync at regular intervals of 50-250 ms. It's a much safer version of > > fsync = off, yet retaining most of the speed *and* it can be used for > > some transactions and not others. > > > > Deferred Transactions provide considerable additional performance in a > > range of circumstances, but at the cost that a handful of committed > > transactions will definitely be lost if the server crashes. > > > > To remind everybody of the risks, this feature is enabled using a > > parameter named transaction_guarantee. The default mode is "on" > > reminding us that PostgreSQL provides a strong default guarantee that if > > a transaction is committed, it stays committed. If you prefer > > performance at the risk of data loss, then you can opt to relax the > > standard level of protection and request transaction_guarantee = off > > > > The data loss isn't random, nor is it indeterminate, but it is certain. > > We will say that a transaction is committed, but it isn't until it has > > reached disk. So all transactions that have reached the commit point, > > but not yet reached disk will be certainly lost - probably best to use a > > guidelines figure of 1000 transactions when assessing the business > > impact of such loss. The risk is very similar to normal transactions > > waiting to write to disk, but the important difference is we will have > > replied to the client that the transaction is safely on disk, when it is > > not. > > > > Relaxing the transaction guarantee in this way is completely > > controllable by users. Guaranteed and Unguaranteed transactions can > > co-exist safely without increased risk for more important data. > > > > v10 fixes a number of lurking bugs present in v9. There are no > > outstanding bugs, after a range of tests, though more are needed. > > > > wal_writer_delay = 0 (default) ms enables this feature at server start. > > Once enabled, individual sessions or transactions may request > > transaction_guarantee = off, or it may be set for the whole server. > > > > It also provides additional instrumentation, with new parameters: > > trace_commit = on will show details of each commit (high volume) > > trace_bg_flush = on will give more frequent summaries of monitoring data > > > > The patch needs a reviewers guide, which I'll write next week. > > > > patch -p0 < transaction_guarantee.v10.patch > > with additional files: > > src/backend/postmaster/walwriter.c > > src/include/postmaster/walwriter.c > > -- > Simon Riggs > EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com > [ Attachment, skipping... ] [ Attachment, skipping... ] [ Attachment, skipping... ] > > ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- > TIP 7: You can help support the PostgreSQL project by donating at > > http://www.postgresql.org/about/donate -- Bruce Momjian <bruce@momjian.us> http://momjian.us EnterpriseDB http://www.enterprisedb.com + If your life is a hard drive, Christ can be your backup. +
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