|| PostgreSQL

Hi Everybody.

We've gotten a few requests for a distributed version of postgresql.
There's two models that I think could work for this. What I'm looking
for is two things:
1. Any opinions on which option to take.
2. Anyone willing to work on the project.

The features people are looking for are fault tolerance, and load distribution

The two models:
1. A separate server process which manages the parallelism.
Client connects to that server, which handles the request
using (nearly) unmodified backends on different machines.
Would make use of the fact that the vast majority of
commands are read-only.

Advantages:
Platform independent. (e.g. SPARC's and x86 in
same cluster)
Less inherently complex (simpler, separate component)
Less changes to current code

Potential Snag:
May need a different communication interface built..
(maybe not...)

2. Modifying the current server to handle the parallelism.
i.e. Start the server with another option and config file
(or something equivalent). All modifications built into
the current server.

Advantages:
Could more easily be made to run single queries in
parallel
Could be made more efficient by directly making
storage calls, instead of using an SQL
interface.

Potential Snag:
Adds a lot of complexity to the current backend.

My personal preference is toward option 1.
It sounds a lot easier to implement, and works through a well-defined
interface (SQL).
Platform independent, just in case someone decides to throw in a
SPARC box into their room of Alphas.
Minimal changes to the current backend which keeps the backend simpler
for people to work on. (My next email's gonna go down that
line somewhere)

Any preferences or options I haven't thought of? (or any details which would
complicate the project?) As well, would anybody be interested in working on
this?

Duane