Re: QuickLZ compression algorithm (Re: Inclusion in the PostgreSQL backend for toasting rows) - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Andrew Chernow
Subject Re: QuickLZ compression algorithm (Re: Inclusion in the PostgreSQL backend for toasting rows)
Date
Msg-id 4962BB59.8080906@esilo.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: QuickLZ compression algorithm (Re: Inclusion in the PostgreSQL backend for toasting rows)  ("Holger Hoffstaette" <holger@wizards.de>)
List pgsql-hackers
Holger Hoffstaette wrote:
> On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:44:57 -0500, Andrew Chernow wrote:
> 
>> Robert Haas wrote:
>>> What we do have is a suggestion from several people that the database
>>> shouldn't be in the business of compressing data AT ALL.  If we want
> 
> DB2 users generally seem very happy with the built-in compression.
> 
>> IMHO, this is a job for the application.
> 
> Changing applications is several times more expensive and often simply not
> possible.
> 
> 

The database can still handle all of the compression requirements if the 
"application" creates a couple user-defined functions (probably in c) 
that utilize one of the many existing compression libraries (hand picked 
for their needs).  You can use them in triggers to make it transparent.  You can use them directly in statements.  You
cancontrol selecting 
 
the data compressed or uncomrpessed, which is a valid use case for 
remote clients that have to download a large bytea or text.  You can 
toggle compression algorithms and settings dependant on $whatever.

You can do this all of this right w/o the built-in compression, which is 
my point; why have the built-in compression at all?  Seems like a 
home-cut solution provides more features and control with minimal 
engineering.  All the real engineering is done: the database and 
compression libraries.  All that's left are a few glue functions in C.

Well, my two pennies :)

-- 
Andrew Chernow
eSilo, LLC
every bit counts
http://www.esilo.com/


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