PgConf.Russia 2016

We'll discuss how does Linux work with virtual memory. The following topics will be covered: * x86-64 page table, context switch and page fault; * internals of virtual memory management (VMM) in Linux; * page eviction methods in Linux, page cache and anonymous pages; * huge and gigantic pages, transparent huge pages; * how mmap(2) works and what madvise(2), msync(2) etc. provide; * why large databases don't use mmap(2), but rather implement buffer pool on their own; * ans surely how to tune Linux VMM using sysctl.

Common Java wisdom is to use PreparedStatements and Batch DML in order to achieve top performance. It turns out one cannot just blindly follow the best practices. In order to get high throughput, you need to understand the specifics of the database in question, and the content of the data.

In the talk we will see how proper usage of PostgreSQL protocol enables high performance operation while fetching and storing the data. We will see how trivial application and/or JDBC driver code changes can result in dramatic performance improvements. We will examine how server-side prepared statements should be activated, and discuss pitfalls of using server-prepared statements.

Architecture features of IBM Power 8 allowing to gain high performance in comparison with x86_64. CPU, memory, IO etc. Experience of real benchmarking.

Unlike most other databases, PostgreSQL is developed by a community, and not by a company or even a foundation. Those who have been members of this community for a long time generally consider this a strength, but it can often be confusing to outsiders who are more used to dealing with traditional organization. For those who are not already on the inside, this talk will give an introduction to how the PostgreSQL community works and how the different parties interact, as well as how this has evolved over the years.