Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2015 01:56:19 +0200 (CEST)
From: Andreas Joseph Krogh <andreas@visena.com>
To: pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
Message-ID: <VisenaEmail.44.70ed435cef1739b1.14e4c07dd3d@tc7-visena>
In-Reply-To: 
 <CAFwQ8rfwyBMD7AiL659qtG+UhsOUZthLSBYF7ODTn6TKxJoTPg@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: New server: SSD/RAID recommendations?
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P=C3=A5 torsdag 02. juli 2015 kl. 01:06:57, skrev Craig James <cjames@emole=
cules.com=20
<mailto:cjames@emolecules.com>>:
We're buying a new server in the near future to replace an aging system. I'=
d=20
appreciate advice on the best SSD devices and RAID controller cards availab=
le=20
today.=C2=A0
The database is about 750 GB. This is a "warehouse" server. We load supplie=
r=20
catalogs throughout a typical work week, then on the weekend (after Q/A),=
=20
integrate the new supplier catalogs into our customer-visible "store", whic=
h is=20
then copied to a production server where customers see it. So the load is=
=20
mostly data loading, and essentially no OLTP. Typically there are fewer tha=
n a=20
dozen connections to Postgres. =C2=A0
Linux 2.6.32
Postgres 9.3
Hardware:
=C2=A0 2 x INTEL WESTMERE 4C XEON 2.40GHZ
=C2=A0=C2=A012GB DDR3 ECC 1333MHz
=C2=A0 3WARE 9650SE-12ML with BBU
=C2=A0 12 x 1TB Hitachi 7200RPM SATA disks
RAID 1 (2 disks)
=C2=A0 =C2=A0Linux partition
=C2=A0 =C2=A0Swap partition
=C2=A0 =C2=A0pg_xlog partition
RAID 10 (8 disks)
=C2=A0 =C2=A0Postgres database partition
=C2=A0
We get 5000-7000 TPS from pgbench on this system.
=C2=A0
The new system will have at least as many CPUs, and probably a lot more mem=
ory=20
(196 GB). The database hasn't reached 1TB yet, but we'd like room to grow, =
so=20
we'd like a 2TB file system for Postgres. We'll start with the latest versi=
ons=20
of Linux and Postgres.
=C2=A0
Intel's products have always received good reports in this forum. Is that=
=20
still the best recommendation? Or are there good alternatives that are pric=
e=20
competitive?
=C2=A0
What about a RAID controller? Are RAID controllers even available for=20
PCI-Express SSD drives, or do we have to stick with SATA if we need a=20
battery-backed RAID controller? Or is software RAID sufficient for SSD driv=
es?
=C2=A0
Are spinning disks still a good choice for the pg_xlog partition and OS? Is=
=20
there any reason to get spinning disks at all, or is it better/simpler to j=
ust=20
put everything on SSD drives?
=C2=A0
Thanks in advance for your advice!


=C2=A0
=C2=A0
Depends on you SSD-drives, but today's enterprise-grade SSD disks can handl=
e=20
pg_xlog just fine. So I'd go full SSD, unless you have many BLOBs in=20
pg_largeobject, then move that to a separate tablespace with=20
"archive-grade"-disks (spinning disks).
=C2=A0
-- Andreas Joseph Krogh
CTO / Partner - Visena AS
Mobile: +47 909 56 963
andreas@visena.com <mailto:andreas@visena.com>
www.visena.com <https://www.visena.com>
 <https://www.visena.com>


=C2=A0

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<div>P=C3=A5 torsdag 02. juli 2015 kl. 01:06:57, skrev Craig James &lt;<a h=
ref=3D"mailto:cjames@emolecules.com">cjames@emolecules.com</a>&gt;:</div>

<blockquote style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt=
 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div dir=3D"ltr">We're buying a new server in the near future to replace an=
 aging system. I'd appreciate advice on the best SSD devices and RAID contr=
oller cards available today.
<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>The database is about 750 GB. This is a &quot;warehouse&quot; server. =
We load supplier catalogs throughout a typical work week, then on the weeke=
nd (after Q/A), integrate the new supplier catalogs into our customer-visib=
le &quot;store&quot;, which is then copied to a production server where cus=
tomers see it. So the load is mostly data loading, and essentially no OLTP.=
 Typically there are fewer than a dozen connections to Postgres.
<div>
<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>
<div>Linux 2.6.32</div>

<div>Postgres 9.3</div>

<div>Hardware:</div>

<div>=C2=A0 2 x INTEL WESTMERE 4C XEON 2.40GHZ</div>

<div>=C2=A0=C2=A012GB DDR3 ECC 1333MHz</div>

<div>=C2=A0 3WARE 9650SE-12ML with BBU</div>

<div>=C2=A0 12 x 1TB Hitachi 7200RPM SATA disks</div>

<div>RAID 1 (2 disks)</div>

<div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0Linux partition</div>

<div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0Swap partition</div>

<div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0pg_xlog partition</div>

<div>RAID 10 (8 disks)</div>

<div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0Postgres database partition</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>We get 5000-7000 TPS from pgbench on this system.</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>The new system will have at least as many CPUs, and probably a lot mor=
e memory (196 GB). The database hasn't reached 1TB yet, but we'd like room =
to grow, so we'd like a 2TB file system for Postgres. We'll start with the =
latest versions of Linux and Postgres.</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>Intel's products have always received good reports in this forum. Is t=
hat still the best recommendation? Or are there good alternatives that are =
price competitive?</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>What about a RAID controller? Are RAID controllers even available for =
PCI-Express SSD drives, or do we have to stick with SATA if we need a batte=
ry-backed RAID controller? Or is software RAID sufficient for SSD drives?</=
div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>Are spinning disks still a good choice for the pg_xlog partition and O=
S? Is there any reason to get spinning disks at all, or is it better/simple=
r to just put everything on SSD drives?</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>Thanks in advance for your advice!</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div>Depends on you SSD-drives, but today's enterprise-grade SSD disks can =
handle pg_xlog just fine. So I'd go full SSD, unless you have many BLOBs in=
 pg_largeobject, then move that to a separate tablespace with &quot;archive=
-grade&quot;-disks (spinning disks).</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>

<div class=3D"origo-email-signature">
<div>--
<div><span style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Andrea=
s Joseph Krogh</strong></span></div>

<div><span style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">CTO / Partner<=
/span> - Visena AS</div>

<div><span style=3D"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Mobile: +47 90=
9 56 963</span></div>

<div><a href=3D"mailto:andreas@visena.com">andreas@visena.com</a></div>

<div><a href=3D"https://www.visena.com">www.visena.com</a></div>

<div style=3D"padding-top: 5px"><a href=3D"https://www.visena.com"><img alt=
=3D"" src=3D"cid:part_F3226594478899AEWD2"></a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div>=C2=A0</div>
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