Thread: minimum hardware requirements for small postgres db
Thanks for the 2 replies @Daniel, @Wolfgand so far: I spent quite some time researching (reading various reviews) which RDBMS best suited my needs, and my first choice was Postgres for the reasons given and on account of its well regarded clear documentation.
I need a good rich set of functions to manipulate data, particularly date/time, and read SQLlite, being fast but tiny, was poor on that. Being a novice, I am only going on what I read : although a recent annual survey said MySQL is still the most popular dbms - but its due to inertia from it being at one time, best there was, years before proprietary Oracle got control, and that MySQL is not very 'pure', requiring much application crafting, and so 'locks you in' - precisely the trap I fell into over 20 years ago with Access, and dont want to repeat. Somewhere I did read pg needs strong hardware, so I thought to choose HSQLDB, as that seemed 2nd best after pg in terms of 'clean' & adherance to ANSI standards. I got as far as installing HSQLDB on my Nettop and it appears to run ok. Thinking the DBMS choice sorted I then searched for Design tools and a suitable Forms based GUI, but was surprised to find no suitable clients for HSQLDB !. From a 2009 tutorial/review of MySQL Workbench, it sounded just what I wanted, but was 'dog slow' on 2GHz 4MB laptop, and only worked with MySQL I had already rejected ! (I read LibreOffice Base (at that point v3.4) was a very poor FE compared to the FE integrated into Access, and worse still crashes, corrupting your DB. I also read all the Libre development concentrates on WP & Spreadsheet, not Base, which has hardly changed since Sun owned it if not before. But Base, having drivers for both pg & HSQLDB, is my fallback position for Forms GUI if nothing better around). I belatedly saw HSQLDB not even listed in the recent popularity survey, so that may explain why there is a lack of FE tools for it ?
It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20 tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by Form input for easier-validated dataentry. I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not sufficient, would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum hardware for the above 'small' db ?
> It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As stated my DB App will be single user offline use,small, about 20 tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by Form input for easier-validateddataentry. I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly addresses my primary question:"If Atom class nettop not sufficient, would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is it quitedifficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum hardware for the above 'small' db ? For single user personal use small database any modern (down to 5 years old) nettop will be more than enough. I would recommend 256MB as the bottom limit of RAM. See also this link http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/supported-platforms.html. -- Sergey Konoplev Database and Software Architect http://www.linkedin.com/in/grayhemp Phones: USA +1 415 867 9984 Russia, Moscow +7 901 903 0499 Russia, Krasnodar +7 988 888 1979 Skype: gray-hemp Jabber: gray.ru@gmail.com
Thanks for your input on minimum hardware requirements for small postgres db.
You say a modern Nettop is more than enough recommending a minimum RAM of 256MB. My original post did say under Windows. As 256MB is not enough to even run Windows, did you miss that ?
It also seems at least some ERD design tools require strong hardware 2GHz, 4GB RAM. Have you any recommendations on choice of an ERD design tool as per prev. post ?
Thanks again. Paul
On 21 February 2013 00:53, Sergey Konoplev <gray.ru@gmail.com> wrote:
> It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20 tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by Form input for easier-validated dataentry. I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not sufficient, would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum hardware for the above 'small' db ?For single user personal use small database any modern (down to 5
years old) nettop will be more than enough. I would recommend 256MB as
the bottom limit of RAM. See also this link
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/supported-platforms.html.
--
Sergey Konoplev
Database and Software Architect
http://www.linkedin.com/in/grayhemp
Phones:
USA +1 415 867 9984
Russia, Moscow +7 901 903 0499
Russia, Krasnodar +7 988 888 1979
Skype: gray-hemp
Jabber: gray.ru@gmail.com
On Thu, Feb 21, 2013 at 6:10 AM, Paul Smith <paul.smithy987@gmail.com> wrote: > You say a modern Nettop is more than enough recommending a minimum RAM of > 256MB. My original post did say under Windows. As 256MB is not enough to > even run Windows, did you miss that ? I have not found it in the first message. But probably it was in those one you mentioned you got 2 replies. > It also seems at least some ERD design tools require strong hardware 2GHz, > 4GB RAM. Have you any recommendations on choice of an ERD design tool as per > prev. post ? I would recommend you to try pgAdmin and PostgreSQL Maestro. > Thanks again. Paul > > > On 21 February 2013 00:53, Sergey Konoplev <gray.ru@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> > It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As >> > stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20 tables, >> > and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by Form input for >> > easier-validated dataentry. I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the >> > 2 replies directly addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not >> > sufficient, would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." >> > Is it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum >> > hardware for the above 'small' db ? >> >> For single user personal use small database any modern (down to 5 >> years old) nettop will be more than enough. I would recommend 256MB as >> the bottom limit of RAM. See also this link >> http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/supported-platforms.html. >> >> >> -- >> Sergey Konoplev >> Database and Software Architect >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/grayhemp >> >> Phones: >> USA +1 415 867 9984 >> Russia, Moscow +7 901 903 0499 >> Russia, Krasnodar +7 988 888 1979 >> >> Skype: gray-hemp >> Jabber: gray.ru@gmail.com > > -- Sergey Konoplev Database and Software Architect http://www.linkedin.com/in/grayhemp Phones: USA +1 415 867 9984 Russia, Moscow +7 901 903 0499 Russia, Krasnodar +7 988 888 1979 Skype: gray-hemp Jabber: gray.ru@gmail.com
> Somewhere I did read pg needs strong hardware, It doesn't. The default installation is optimised to run on very "weak" hardware. You'll have trouble running e.g. LibreOffice in a useful way on systems where PostgreSQL runs fine, especially if you use it on an *operating* system (i.e. *not* Windows). > (I read LibreOffice Base (at that point v3.4) was a > very poor FE compared to the FE integrated into Access, and worse > still crashes, corrupting your DB. The corruption issues refer to the "embedded" version of HSQLDB which comes with LO. If used with a transaction-safe client-server RDBMS such as PostgreSQL, LO can't really corrupt the DB. > I also read all the Libre development concentrates on WP & > Spreadsheet, not Base, which has hardly changed since Sun owned it if > not before. But Base, having drivers for both pg & HSQLDB, is my > fallback position for Forms GUI if nothing better around). Unfortunately the only other FOSS database client application, Rekall, has vanished years ago. And Kexi isn't really ready yet, e.g. it doesn't even support composite keys. X-( The lack of decent application development tools is imho the strongest obstacle for "selling" PostgreSQL in companies. Oracle, Sybase etc. all seem to have understood this - they give away their development tools for free to lock developers, their applications and customers buying those applications into their RDBMS. > It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As > stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20 > tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by > Form input for easier-validated dataentry. LO is usable for CRUD, it's mostly the report writer that would need some more development ressources. The latter is usable as well, it just has some bugs. > I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly > addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not sufficient, > would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is > it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum > hardware for the above 'small' db ? To be honest, I've never managed to find a system that PostgreSQL wouldn't run on. The worst that I've ever had was a Windows2000 with 128MB or so, years ago. Using a decently stripped-down Linux, I wouldn't be astonished if even the latest PostgreSQL still ran on a system like that. Sincerely, Wolfgang
On 22/02/13 03:10, Paul Smith wrote:
Thanks for your input on minimum hardware requirements for small postgres db.I would suggest upgrading to a Linux distribution if you can. Though I know there may be many reasons why it is not practicable for you, but ...You say a modern Nettop is more than enough recommending a minimum RAM of 256MB. My original post did say under Windows. As 256MB is not enough to even run Windows, did you miss that ?It also seems at least some ERD design tools require strong hardware 2GHz, 4GB RAM. Have you any recommendations on choice of an ERD design tool as per prev. post ?Thanks again. PaulOn 21 February 2013 00:53, Sergey Konoplev <gray.ru@gmail.com> wrote:> It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20 tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by Form input for easier-validated dataentry. I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not sufficient, would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum hardware for the above 'small' db ?For single user personal use small database any modern (down to 5
years old) nettop will be more than enough. I would recommend 256MB as
the bottom limit of RAM. See also this link
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/supported-platforms.html.
--
Sergey Konoplev
Database and Software Architect
http://www.linkedin.com/in/grayhemp
Phones:
USA +1 415 867 9984
Russia, Moscow +7 901 903 0499
Russia, Krasnodar +7 988 888 1979
Skype: gray-hemp
Jabber: gray.ru@gmail.com
Linux is more secure, usually faster, and a lot easier to use. I have used both Linux and various Microsoft Operating Systems.
Cheers,
Gavin
Thanks for your further advice which fully answers my question re. minimum hardware requirement.
Thanks also for clarifying the LO-Base corruption issue is only with the HSQLDB embedded with LO, and does not occur with pg.
During my previous research into suitable open-source Forms based FE, apart from the corruption issue, I read the Forms builder makes use of the LO word-processor, and the resulting Forms are very basic compared to what is achievable with even the 20 year old MS Access V2. But unless anyone knows of a better open-source Forms builder/Report-writer, I guess I will have to accept that limitation.
Thanks also to everyone who helped answer my question.
It may be a while before I can install pg as my Nettop hdd has just failed (backed up just in time!) and as it was quite slow on other things, instead of repairing, I may buy a new Nettop, but using Ivy Bridge ULV 'Y' series to make a better 'desktop' replacement.
On 21 February 2013 14:44, Wolfgang Keller <feliphil@gmx.net> wrote:
> Somewhere I did read pg needs strong hardware,It doesn't. The default installation is optimised to run on very "weak"
hardware. You'll have trouble running e.g. LibreOffice in a useful way
on systems where PostgreSQL runs fine, especially if you use it on an
*operating* system (i.e. *not* Windows).The corruption issues refer to the "embedded" version of HSQLDB which
> (I read LibreOffice Base (at that point v3.4) was a
> very poor FE compared to the FE integrated into Access, and worse
> still crashes, corrupting your DB.
comes with LO.
If used with a transaction-safe client-server RDBMS such as PostgreSQL,
LO can't really corrupt the DB.Unfortunately the only other FOSS database client application, Rekall,
> I also read all the Libre development concentrates on WP &
> Spreadsheet, not Base, which has hardly changed since Sun owned it if
> not before. But Base, having drivers for both pg & HSQLDB, is my
> fallback position for Forms GUI if nothing better around).
has vanished years ago. And Kexi isn't really ready yet, e.g. it
doesn't even support composite keys. X-(
The lack of decent application development tools is imho the strongest
obstacle for "selling" PostgreSQL in companies.
Oracle, Sybase etc. all seem to have understood this - they give away
their development tools for free to lock developers, their applications
and customers buying those applications into their RDBMS.LO is usable for CRUD, it's mostly the report writer that would need
> It is for the above reasons I am revisiting the suitability of pg. As
> stated my DB App will be single user offline use, small, about 20
> tables, and many of those will be just short 'picklists' triggered by
> Form input for easier-validated dataentry.
some more development ressources. The latter is usable as well, it just
has some bugs.To be honest, I've never managed to find a system that PostgreSQL
> I notice the FAQ, User Manual, & neither of the 2 replies directly
> addresses my primary question: "If Atom class nettop not sufficient,
> would like to know the minimum class of CPU, RAM, GPU required." Is
> it quite difficult to make even a rough recommendation of minimum
> hardware for the above 'small' db ?
wouldn't run on.
The worst that I've ever had was a Windows2000 with 128MB or so, years
ago. Using a decently stripped-down Linux, I wouldn't be astonished if
even the latest PostgreSQL still ran on a system like that.
Sincerely,
Wolfgang
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> During my previous research into suitable open-source Forms based FE, > apart from the corruption issue, I read the Forms builder makes use > of the LO word-processor, and the resulting Forms are very basic > compared to what is achievable with even the 20 year old MS Access > V2. See attached an example of an example form from the LO Base handbook. German language, sorry, the handbook hasn't been entirely translated yet. Sincerely, Wolfgang
