Why i see several postgres server processes sometimes ?

Started by Georgi Ivanovover 15 years ago4 messagesgeneral
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#1Georgi Ivanov
georgi.r.ivanov@gmail.com

Hi,
I wander why i see several postgres server processes with different PIDs
I don't mean those normal query processes. I see several of these:
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

With different pids. Is this normal ?

PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+
COMMAND

27662 postgres 20 0 1623m 14m 10m R 5 0.3 0:00.14 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.21(43725)
idle

15489 postgres 20 0 1610m 33m 33m S 3 0.7 76:51.46
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

27714 postgres 20 0 1613m 7720 5228 S 1 0.2 0:00.03 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.12(42434)
idle

27730 postgres 20 0 1611m 2336 1228 R 1 0.0 0:00.02
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

27731 postgres 20 0 1610m 1572 1044 R 1 0.0 0:00.02
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

15494 postgres 20 0 1611m 1.5g 1.5g S 0 30.6 6:10.54 postgres:
writer
process

27711 postgres 20 0 1613m 7752 5248 S 0 0.2 0:00.01 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.13(53169)
idle

27729 postgres 20 0 1610m 1572 1044 R 0 0.0 0:00.01
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

15495 postgres 20 0 1611m 1020 652 S 0 0.0 0:23.09 postgres: wal
writer
process

15496 postgres 20 0 1612m 1648 564 S 0 0.0 0:24.77 postgres:
autovacuum launcher
process

15497 postgres 20 0 73524 1308 296 S 0 0.0 18:29.63 postgres: stats
collector
process

17480 postgres 20 0 37052 940 936 S 0 0.0 0:00.01 su
postgres

17481 postgres 20 0 19384 1236 1232 S 0 0.0 0:00.01
bash

17510 postgres 20 0 67696 2400 1992 S 0 0.0 0:00.12
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/psql
wmg

17537 postgres 20 0 1617m 26m 21m S 0 0.5 0:00.12 postgres:
postgres wmg [local]
idle

27722 postgres 20 0 1614m 10m 7372 R 0 0.2 0:00.00 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.13(53195)
idle

27724 postgres 20 0 1613m 7700 5208 R 0 0.2 0:00.00 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.12(42452)
PARSE

27727 postgres 20 0 1613m 4324 2336 R 0 0.1 0:00.00 postgres: wmg
wmg 172.18.9.13(53204)
startup

27732 postgres 20 0 1610m 424 0 R 0 0.0 0:00.00
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

27733 postgres 20 0 1610m 424 0 R 0 0.0 0:00.00
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf

In reply to: Georgi Ivanov (#1)
Re: Why i see several postgres server processes sometimes ?

On 6 October 2010 15:44, Georgi Ivanov <georgi.r.ivanov@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,
I wander why i see several postgres server processes with different PIDs
I don't mean those normal query processes. I see several of these:
/usr/lib/postgresql/8.4/bin/postgres -D /database/postgresql/8.4/main -c
config_file=/etc/postgresql/8.4/main/postgresql.conf
With different pids. Is this normal ?

This is normal. Postgres is said to have a multi-process architecture
(which is often contrasted with a multi threaded architecture). The
number of processes isn't very predictable.

--
Regards,
Peter Geoghegan

In reply to: Peter Geoghegan (#2)
Re: Why i see several postgres server processes sometimes ?

Peter,

This is normal. Postgres is said to have a multi-process architecture
(which is often contrasted with a multi threaded architecture). The
number of processes isn't very predictable.

you are right, it is normal.

But the number of processes is quite predictable:

on default PostgreSQL starts up with 5 processes:

one background-writer
one postmaster who masters the startup of additional progresses
one autovacuum-daemon
two processes which I have not leveled up enough to know what they are doing

And then there is one additional process for every client connection.

Harald

--
GHUM GmbH
Harald Armin Massa
Spielberger Straße 49
70435 Stuttgart
0173/9409607

Amtsgericht Stuttgart, HRB 734971
-
persuadere.
et programmare

In reply to: Massa, Harald Armin (#3)
Re: Why i see several postgres server processes sometimes ?

On 06/10/2010 18:53, Massa, Harald Armin wrote:

Peter,

This is normal. Postgres is said to have a multi-process architecture
(which is often contrasted with a multi threaded architecture). The
number of processes isn't very predictable.

you are right, it is normal.

But the number of processes is quite predictable:

on default PostgreSQL starts up with 5 processes:

one background-writer
one postmaster who masters the startup of additional progresses
one autovacuum-daemon
two processes which I have not leveled up enough to know what they are doing
And then there is one additional process for every client connection.

So that's where the extra processes are coming from - something is
holding connections open.

Ray.

--
Raymond O'Donnell :: Galway :: Ireland
rod@iol.ie