Re: Database Kernels and O_DIRECT

On 10/14/03 11:31 PM, "James Rogers" <jamesr(at)best(dot)com> wrote:
>
> There is some abstraction in Postgres and the database is well-written, but
> it isn't written in a manner that makes it easy to swap out operating system
> or API models. It is written to be portable at all levels. A database
> kernel isn't necessarily required to be portable at the very lowest level,
> but it is vastly more optimizable because you aren't forced into a narrow
> set of choices for interfacing with the operating system.

Just to clarify, my post wasn't really to say that we should run out and
make Postgres use a database kernel type internal model tomorrow. The point
of all that was that Oracle does things that way for a very good reason and
that there can be benefits that may not be immediately obvious.

It is really one of those emergent "needs" when a database engine gets to a
certain level of sophistication. For smaller and simpler databases, you
don't really need it and the effort isn't justified. At some point, you
cross a threshold where not only does it become justified but it becomes a
wise idea or not having it will start to punish you in a number of different
ways. I personally think that Postgres is sitting on the cusp of "its a
wise idea", and that it is something worth thinking about in the future.

Cheers,

-James Rogers
jamesr(at)best(dot)com