Re: Improving postgresql.conf

Honza Pazdziora wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 09, 2004 at 07:53:19PM +0530, Shridhar Daithankar wrote:
> 
>>Well, the statement 'postgresql.conf outside data directory' isn't going to 
>>win I think.
> One day there won't be any data directory because the data will be
> on raw partitions. Then you will _have_ to have the configuration
> somewhere else. Ideally, only the absolute minimum of parameters
> needed to start the server ought to be in the external configuration.
> Everything else may happily reside within the database storage.

Given that postgresql by design does not outsmart OS in any overlapping 
functionality, I doubt we would see raw storage anytime soon but anyways..


>>Let me put it in a different way. What you are asking is a service 
>>configuration file. It is *not* same as current postgresql configuration 
>>file. It will/should be unique to a perticular installation of postgresql. 
>>i.e. something like /etc/postgresql/7.4.2/service.conf
> Why? The administrator may want to run second cluster on the same
> machine, share a couple of options using "include" directive while
> preserving separate configuration, including the location of data
> store, for things that should be different for each of these
> clusters.

Well that is easy. In the service file just say

[Cluster1] datapath=/data/foo

[Cluster2] datapath=/data/foo1

and postgresql.conf could still reside inside each cluster to provide specific 
configuration.

Thenhave a script which can say 'service postgresql cluster1 start'

>>I think it is a rather good idea to add service configuration to default 
> What is that "service" you mention?

Postgresql as a database server is a service. A cluster is an service instance. 
A service configuration file documents all service instances and their 
parameters required for all tuning and control purposes. Add a possibility of 
multiple versions of postgresql on same box. That sums it up pretty well..

>>Also pulling postgresql.conf out of cluster has a drawback. All the 
>>clusters would have to share same tuning parameters which is not exactly 
>>ideal.
> Why would they _have_ to? Pulling postgresql.conf out of cluster only
> means that the file resides somewhere else and in it the location of
> the data directory is specified. It does not mandate there will only
> be one cluster and it does not mean that each cluster cannot have
> completely different configuration file.

Well, I wish I could have some archives link handy but suffice to say that Tom 
has rejected this idea many times before..
 Shridhar