storing tables in ram / compressed myisam tables

[Gabriel Ricard]

So, we just got this handy dandy new G5 with 4GB of RAM and I'm trying 
to get it to store as much of our 4.3GB database in RAM as possible. 
I've tuned most of the usual parameters (query cache, tmp table size, 
sort buffer, key buffer, record buffer, table cache, myisam sort 
buffer, etc.) but then I was reading the section of the manual about 
how mysql uses memory (http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/Memory_use.html) and 
it said this:

"Only the compressed ISAM / MyISAM tables are memory mapped. This is 
because the 32-bit memory space of 4 GB is not large enough for most 
big tables. When systems with a 64-bit address space become more common 
we may add general support for memory mapping."

I tried to find some more information about compressed ISAM / MyISAM 
tables. I found the options for CREATE TABLE to create a compressed 
table, but then I was reading about myisampack and I think I got 
confused. Can you still modify a compressed table? Or is it read only? 
Will it be mmap'd so the access is faster? Or is this configurable? If 
I could, I'd select a few of the tables to have stored in RAM to make 
the access as fast as possible. Can I do this?

Also, considering that 64 bit systems like the PowerMac G5 and Athlon64 
FX boxes are readily available now, will there soon be an option to 
choose whether or not a table (of any type) can be maintained in RAM 
via mmap like the manual said?

TIA

- Gabriel

--
MySQL General Mailing List
For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql
To unsubscribe:    http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]