On Thu, 2002-01-24 at 10:02, Jean Huveneers wrote: > Hi, > > Within an couple of weeks we will start using PostgreSQL on Mandrake 8.1 > in real business (we have been testing, for over a half year). > Not that i have anything against Mandrake, but it is a desktop distribution. I've heard several admins say their kernels are pretty weak when it comes to server applications. So get a RedHat kernel instead (2.2 or 2.4 series), because they are tested very thouroughly and they include the best of Alan Cox' patches. > In future we will have some tables with 100.000+ records an the system > has te work very fast.
100.000+ records it's a pretty thin number. A PIII with 256 MB and X/Gnome desktop running handles tables of 1.000.000 records on my workstation very well. > I know that speed of querries depend much on the amount of availible RAM > to PostgreSQL, the server will only run the databases. What amount is > RAM is usefull (I meen, does Postgres use the RAM, if availible, up to 2 > GB)? Postgresql can use alot of ram. Read the pgsql docs on shared memory and kernel parameters; you can reserve alot of shmem to postgresql, and yes, with a large DB and/or alot of concurent connections it will even eat up your swap. Also, check out Bruce M.'s articles on PostgreSQL optimization, as they cover this and many more issues. > I'm can chose for a Dual Athlon MP on a Tyan Thunder K7 motherbord, but > does PostgreSQL use the 2 processors? Like the post before said, using a SMP kernel (again, use RedHat's kernels !) will send backends to both processors. Also you should note that *any* program that forks or creates threads on a SMP machine will be able to use (all) the processors. -- Radu-Adrian Popescu CSA, DBA, Programmer ---------------------------(end of broadcast)--------------------------- TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ? http://www.postgresql.org/users-lounge/docs/faq.html