To: Ron <rjpeace@earthlink.net>
Cc: Matthew Sackman <matthew@lshift.net>,
	pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Massive performance issues 
In-reply-to: <6.2.3.4.0.20050901145054.021b1678@pop.earthlink.net> 
References: <20050901174231.GE23970@pongo.lshift.net>
	<6.2.3.4.0.20050901145054.021b1678@pop.earthlink.net>
Comments: In-reply-to Ron <rjpeace@earthlink.net>
	message dated "Thu, 01 Sep 2005 15:43:01 -0400"
Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 16:25:29 -0400
Message-ID: <6092.1125606329@sss.pgh.pa.us>
From: Tom Lane <tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us>

Ron <rjpeace@earthlink.net> writes:
> ...  Your target is to have each row take <= 512B.

Ron, are you assuming that the varchar fields are blank-padded or
something?  I think it's highly unlikely that he's got more than a
couple hundred bytes per row right now --- at least if the data is
what it sounds like.

The upthread comment about strcoll() set off some alarm bells in my head.
If the database wasn't initdb'd in C locale already, try making it so.
Also, use a single-byte encoding if you can (LatinX is fine, Unicode not).

> Upgrade pg to 8.0.3 and make sure you have enough RAM for your real 
> day to day load.

Newer PG definitely better.  Some attention to the configuration
parameters might also be called for.  I fear though that these things
are probably just chipping at the margins ...

			regards, tom lane