Heikki Linnakangas wrote:
Robert Haas wrote:
I am not convinced it will be unpredictable.  The only caveats that
I've seen so far are:

- You need to run ntpd.
- Queries will get cancelled like crazy if you're not using steaming
replication.

And also in situations where the master is idle for a while and then
starts doing stuff. That's the most significant source of confusion,
IMHO, I wouldn't mind the requirement of ntpd so much.

I consider it mandatory to include an documentation update here that says "if you set max_standby_delay > 0, and do not run something that regularly generates activity to the master like [example], you will get unnecessary query cancellation on the standby". As well as something like what Josh was suggesting, adding warnings that this is "for advanced users only", to borrow his wording. This is why my name has been on the open items list for a while now--to make sure I follow through on that.

I haven't written it yet because there were still changes to the underlying code being made up until moments before beta started, then this discussion started without a break between. There are a clear set of user land things that can be done to make up the deficiencies in the state of the server code, but we won't even get to see how they work out in the field (feedback needed to improve the 9.1 design) if this capability goes away altogether.

Is it not clear that there are some people who consider the occasional bit of cancellation OK, because they can correct for at the application layer and they're willing to factor it in to their design if it allows using the otherwise idle HA standby? I'm fine with expanding that section of the documentation too, to make it more obvious that's the only situation this aspect of HS is aimed at and suitable for.

--
Greg Smith  2ndQuadrant US  Baltimore, MD
PostgreSQL Training, Services and Support
g...@2ndquadrant.com   www.2ndQuadrant.us


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