From: | Andrew - Supernews <andrew+nonews(at)supernews(dot)com> |
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To: | pgsql-hackers(at)postgresql(dot)org |
Subject: | Re: Simplifying wal_sync_method |
Date: | 2005-08-10 01:09:32 |
Message-ID: | slrndfikuc.bj3.andrew+nonews@trinity.supernews.net |
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Lists: | pgsql-hackers |
On 2005-08-09, Tom Lane <tgl(at)sss(dot)pgh(dot)pa(dot)us> wrote:
> Andrew - Supernews <andrew+nonews(at)supernews(dot)com> writes:
>> On 2005-08-09, "Magnus Hagander" <mha(at)sollentuna(dot)net> wrote:
>>> ... or iDE disks with write cache enabled. I've certainly seen more than
>>> what I'd call 1% (though I haven't studied it to be sure) that's because
>>> of write-cached disks...
>
>> Every SCSI disk I've looked at recently has had write cache enabled by
>> default, fwiw.
>
> On SCSI, write cacheing is default because the protocol is actually
> designed to support it: the drive can take the data, and then take some
> more, without giving the impression that the write has been done.
Wrong. Write caching as controlled by the WCE parameter on mode page 8
for direct-access devices does in fact report the write operation as
complete before the bits are on the disk. The protocol supplies a number
of additional commands to flush the cache, etc., for which you'll have
to consult the specs.
The reason it's not so much of a performance killer to turn it off is that
tag-queueing (which is what you are referring to) provides for some
optimization of concurrent requests even with the cache off.
> If a SCSI drive reports write complete when it hasn't actually put the
> bits on the platter yet, then it's simply broken.
I guess you haven't read the spec much, then.
--
Andrew, Supernews
http://www.supernews.com - individual and corporate NNTP services
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