I have a query that runs for about 16 hours, it should run at least weekly. There are also clients connecting via a website, we don't want to keep them waiting because of long DSS queries.
We use Debian Lenny. I've noticed that renicing the process really lowers the load (in "top"), though i think we are I/O bound. Does that make any sense?
Cheers,
WBL -- "Patriotism is the conviction that your country is superior to all others because you were born in it." -- George Bernard Shaw