Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:04:16 -0400
From: Alvaro Herrera <alvherre@commandprompt.com>
To: Carol Walter <walterc@indiana.edu>
Cc: pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: autovacuum question
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	pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
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Carol Walter wrote:
> I ran the command "show autovacuum" and postgres responds with "ON."   
> My colleague says that I should be able to see it running if I run ps  
> -aef.  He said that he doesn't trust postgres reporting on itself.  

I wouldn't trust your colleague then ...

> When I run the Unix ps command as above I don't see autovacuum.  Does  
> anyone know if it's running or not?  This is on a box running Solaris.

It is running.  It will only appear on the ps output when it's actually
processing a database; after it's done, it'll go away.  Check the logs;
if autovacuum is getting stuck on something (for example failing to
start for some databases), then an error will be logged.

-- 
Alvaro Herrera                                http://www.CommandPrompt.com/
The PostgreSQL Company - Command Prompt, Inc.