How can I make use of both CPUs in a dual processor machine - Mailing list pgsql-performance

From Alex
Subject How can I make use of both CPUs in a dual processor machine
Date
Msg-id 420A1D9B.1040801@meerkatsoft.com
Whole thread Raw
Responses Re: How can I make use of both CPUs in a dual processor
List pgsql-performance
Hi,
we just got a new dual processor machine and I wonder if there is a way
to utilize both processors.

Our DB server is basically fully dedicated to postgres. (its a dual amd
with 4gb mem.)

I have a batch job that periodically loads about 8 million records into
a table.
for this I drop the indices, truncate the table, use the copy to insert
the data, recreate the indices (4 indices), vacuum the table.

That is all done through a perl batch job.

While I am doing this, I noticed that only one CPU is really used.

So here are my questions:

Is there a way to utilize both CPUs

Is it possible to split up the import file and run 2 copy processes

Is it possible to create 2 indices at the same time

Would I actually gain anything from that, or is the bottleneck somewhere
else ?

(perl is a given here for the batch job)

If anyone has some experience or ideas... any hints or help on this
would be appreciated.

Thanks
Alex


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