Gilles, If some users have been using the native Win32 version of PG in production, > I'd like to hear how it runs in terms of stability and performance. This > DBMS is meant to be used in SOHO settings, meaning it should be very easy to > install, use, and kept up-to-date. >
I have used the native Win32 version of PostgreSQL in production on many systems. In total currently there are 14 client environments. At all of those clients PostgreSQL is installed on Windows 2003 and Windows XP Server; 32bit and 64bit, on raw metal or within VMware virtual machines. Everywhere PostgreSQL is running "on its own", without anyone doing any handholding above the usual "check if the server is still running and get a warning if backup fails" At 3 of those clients PostgreSQL is additionally installed on many laptops running various versions of Windows SPs and Patchlevels. Those laptops are used in situations where there is no guarantee for "good computer practices" like reliably shutting down the system etc. I also started using the native Win32 version with some 7.x beta version which was made available by someone in some FTP directory; starting the pilot phase of my project with windows 8.0beta and using all the windows versions up to 8.3.x today. In the beginning of that project PostgreSQL was also forced to run within a VMWare on a rather ancient server which had some challenges of interference between drivers, windows, vmware and hardware, leading to multiple blue screens of that system (which were caused outside of PostgreSQL). Every time the restart was just a "power of, wait, start"; PostgreSQL came up running and shining. As others have stated: so called "Antivir-software" is bound to make challenges; usually by interferring with disk access or even more challenging by interferring with interprocess and network communication of PostgreSQL. All the time PostgreSQL was stable, taking beatings with a smile and restarting gracefully. Best wishes, Harald -- GHUM Harald Massa persuadere et programmare Harald Armin Massa Spielberger Straße 49 70435 Stuttgart 0173/9409607 no fx, no carrier pigeon - LASIK good, steroids bad?
