Mark Kirkwood <markir(at)paradise(dot)net(dot)nz> writes:
> Could be the the database is checkpointing then.
Or the system 'syncer' process woke up and wrote a bunch of pages.
If the interval between pauses doesn't vary when you change
checkpoint_timeout and checkpoint_segments, then I'd blame the syncer
(or possibly some other external activity).
regards, tom lane