is postgreSQL database maintenance needed?

sriesch

Does anybody know if postgreSQL database maintenance of any kind is needed to keep the database running at normal speed?  I vaguely recall from Oracle databases a decade or two ago there were some database administrator routine maintance tasks to keep those running smoothly.  No idea if it really applies or makes sense here to this one, or given that I periodically reinstall everything anyway or maybe there are automated tasks that make that unneeded, or any performance loss would be so minimimal as to be insignificant.

nemesis10

sriesch said:

Does anybody know if postgreSQL database maintenance of any kind is needed to keep the database running at normal speed?  I vaguely recall from Oracle databases a decade or two ago there were some database administrator routine maintance tasks to keep those running smoothly.  No idea if it really applies or makes sense here to this one, or given that I periodically reinstall everything anyway or maybe there are automated tasks that make that unneeded, or any performance loss would be so minimimal as to be insignificant.

Not normaly by the user... sometimes in a rare while when a computer crashes or something catastropic may call for a maual repair but I have not needed to in 4 or 5 years...

andya_b341b7c5f5

From the official PostgreSQL documentation:

"PostgreSQL, like any database software, requires that certain tasks be performed regularly to achieve optimum performance. The tasks discussed here are required, but they are repetitive in nature and can easily be automated using standard tools such as cron scripts or Windows' Task Scheduler. It is the database administrator's responsibility to set up appropriate scripts, and to check that they execute successfully."

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/maintenance.html. That's docs for the latest version, 10.  (Always best to 'ask' the real experts.)

So, based on that, the short answer to your question is "Yes".  The next obvious question is whether Daz have set up the automation to take care of these tasks as part of the installation.  I'm afraid I can't help you with that one, as I resist installing PostgreSQL because a) to avoid exactly this maintenance quandary; b) I have no use for Smart Content, which won't function without it; and c) it seems like overkill just to get Smart Content working.  There are simpler embedded database alternatives at the same price point ($0) which are designed to be zero maintenance.  I've always been very curious why Daz chose PostgreSQL over these alternatives.

 

Richard Haseltine

According to a note Rob sent in rgard to a post a week or so back DS does periodically automatically clean the database, though I don't know how often. There is a Condense Database option in the Content DB Maintenance dialogue, launched from the Content Library pane option menu, if you wish to trigger a clean up immediately.

Richard Haseltine

andya_b341b7c5f5 said:

 I've always been very curious why Daz chose PostgreSQL over these alternatives.

They initially used valentina, which proved to be very prone to corruption as it was used in the CMS; I don't know what other options were considered, or how PostgreSQL was picked, but it is certainly a massive improvement over Valentina in terms of reliability.

andya_b341b7c5f5

Richard Haseltine said:

andya_b341b7c5f5 said:

 I've always been very curious why Daz chose PostgreSQL over these alternatives.

They initially used valentina, which proved to be very prone to corruption as it was used in the CMS; I don't know what other options were considered, or how PostgreSQL was picked, but it is certainly a massive improvement over Valentina in terms of reliability.

Indeed, Postgres is certainly extremely capable, no question.  It seems (to me) rather over-qualified for this use case, which is what makes me curious.  Perhaps I am underestimating the requirements here but I can't help wondering!  Anyway, end of unintended thread hijack.