Optimizing pgsql for read-only access

Hello all:

I'm building a web-based app that is purely a query tool: no data can be
added or edited. Postgres is the back end.

What steps do I need to take to make the setup as fast as possible for
read-only access? Are there any default settings I can disable because I
don't need them, and gain some speed that way? AFAIK there's no way to turn
transactions off, but what about something like f_sync? Will I get a
performance boost by turning that off?

I'm aware of the "standard" pgsql optimizations and I'll do my best to put
those in place. I'm wondering whether there's anything extra I can do, that
might not normally be "safe", but might become so in a read-only
environment.

All the data will be scrubbed out every night and refreshed from the
original source. Should I be running a VACUUM ANALYZE after each refresh?
Any other optimizations or hints I can pass along to the query processor
that reflect the fact that the data will NEVER change between VACUUM passes?

Thanks for any thoughts or advice.

-- sgl

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Steve Lane

Vice President
The Moyer Group
14 North Peoria St Suite 2H
Chicago, IL 60607

Voice: (312) 433-2421 Email: slane(at)moyergroup(dot)com
Fax: (312) 850-3930 Web: http://www.moyergroup.com
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