Re: Disable autovacuum guc? - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Craig Ringer
Subject Re: Disable autovacuum guc?
Date
Msg-id CAMsr+YFeEosCWDHD+HCYPO5HS-6J+XsWiQCPxjVhbjTi0+y59g@mail.gmail.com
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In response to Disable autovacuum guc?  ("Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com>)
Responses Re: Disable autovacuum guc?  (Michael Paquier <michael.paquier@gmail.com>)
List pgsql-hackers
On 20 October 2016 at 09:27, Joshua D. Drake <jd@commandprompt.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> After all these years, we are still regularly running into people who say,
> "performance was bad so we disabled autovacuum". I am not talking about once
> in a while, it is often. I would like us to consider removing the autovacuum
> option. Here are a few reasons:
>
> 1. It does not hurt anyone

I disagree.

It's important for a number of tests, and can be very useful when
doing diagnostic work. It's also important for some kinds of data
recovery efforts.

However, I do think the documentation needs to loudly warn users not
to turn it off, and that if they think vacuum is slowing their system
down they probably actually have to make it run MORE. The problem is
people not understanding autovac, and taking away the option to turn
it off won't help. They'll just find other ways to cripple it.

-- Craig Ringer                   http://www.2ndQuadrant.com/PostgreSQL Development, 24x7 Support, Training & Services



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