Server specs to run PostgreSQL

On Tue, 2007-05-08 at 14:04, MaRCeLO PeReiRA wrote:

Hi there,

Actually my PostgreSQL server is running on a Athlon
XP 1800+, 512Mb RAM, IDE Disks, 10/100 netcard.

I would like to buy a new server, could you please
give me some information about the specs??

Is it important to have a Dual (or even Quad)
processor??? Will PostgreSQL use them??

What about memory??? How much???

SCSI Disks and 10/100/1000 netcards, it's ok!! No
doubt!

It's a medium use server, about 3000 transactions/day.

Assuming that most of your transactions happen from 9-5, then that's
about 6 transactions per second. Assuming these are mostly lightweight
transaction, you'll be needing a pentium 100 with 64 megs of ram. :)

Seriously though, the hardware you need / want REALLY depends on your
usage patterns. Are you doing a lot of CPU intensive stuff, where
having more CPUs or faster / more memory would help, or are you mostly
I/O bound, and in need of a faster disk subsystem.

Dual CPUs are almost always a good thing, as there's enough going on
other than pgsql (the OS and all its processes) that having a second CPU
can make a machine noticeably more responsive. After that, it's hard to
say. PostgreSQL itself can only use 1 cpu per connection max, plus one
for things like th background writer or periodic vacuuming. So, if
you've only got one user at a time ever hitting your DB, then multiple
CPUs wouldn't help.

Here's what I recommend for a db server:

Lots of memory
2 CPUs (more if needed, maybe dual core x 2)
battery backed caching RAID controller. Look at Areca, 3Ware/Escalade,
and LSI
Lots of hard disks for said controller
fast, efficient NIC. Better to spend a little more in a quality NIC
with a low CPU overhead.

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On 05/08/07 14:04, MaRCeLO PeReiRA wrote:

Hi there,

Actually my PostgreSQL server is running on a Athlon
XP 1800+, 512Mb RAM, IDE Disks, 10/100 netcard.

I would like to buy a new server, could you please
give me some information about the specs??

Is it important to have a Dual (or even Quad)
processor??? Will PostgreSQL use them??

What about memory??? How much???

SCSI Disks and 10/100/1000 netcards, it's ok!! No
doubt!

It's a medium use server, about 3000 transactions/day.

Presumably in the 10 hours from 08:00 to 18:00? If so, that's:
300 txn/hr
5 txn/minute
0.08333 txn/sec.

Your existing server can handle that.

Is there something you aren't telling us? Is the system 99.99%
SELECTs? That would be 30,000,000 SELECTS/day. Obviously a burden
to any but the biggest systems.

Are your tables indexed properly for the given queries? More hw
won't solve crappy/non-existent index support

How complicated are the queries? Simple and low volume, or 15 table
OLAP mega-joins?

For that matter, how complicated are the transactions? Does each
INSERT trigger 18 UPDATEs and 10 DELETEs? None of which have proper
index support?

- --
Ron Johnson, Jr.
Jefferson LA USA

Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day.
Hit him with a fish, and he goes away for good!

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On Tue, 2007-05-08 at 14:25, Scott Marlowe wrote:

On Tue, 2007-05-08 at 14:04, MaRCeLO PeReiRA wrote:

Hi there,

Actually my PostgreSQL server is running on a Athlon
XP 1800+, 512Mb RAM, IDE Disks, 10/100 netcard.

I would like to buy a new server, could you please
give me some information about the specs??

Is it important to have a Dual (or even Quad)
processor??? Will PostgreSQL use them??

What about memory??? How much???

SCSI Disks and 10/100/1000 netcards, it's ok!! No
doubt!

It's a medium use server, about 3000 transactions/day.

Assuming that most of your transactions happen from 9-5, then that's
about 6 transactions per second. Assuming these are mostly lightweight
transaction, you'll be needing a pentium 100 with 64 megs of ram. :)

TYPO ALERT! I meant 6 transactions per minute. hence the Pentium 100
comment. anyway....