PostgreSQL

I want to try to run PostgreSQL DBMS on a box and hopefully replace an MS SQL server box with it. I have a few questions because I am newer to Xnix:

1. It runs on Linux. What distro, variant, whatever do you would make a stable, no nonsense server platform.

2. Has anyone made a switch from an MS DB system to a Linux based DB system in a production environment?

3. I am unfamiliar with backup/disaster recovery strategies for Linux/Unix. Is there a particular FAQ that you know of that may answer some basic questions.

Thanks. I feel that PostgreSQL offeres everything that SQL 7 offers, without the cost. Running a linux server is foreign to be, but I will learn and hopefully make a switch when competent.

Any opinions appreciated.

Originally posted by D-Sect
I want to try to run PostgreSQL DBMS on a box and hopefully replace an MS SQL server box with it. I have a few questions because I am newer to Xnix:

1. It runs on Linux. What distro, variant, whatever do you would make a stable, no nonsense server platform.

2. Has anyone made a switch from an MS DB system to a Linux based DB system in a production environment?

3. I am unfamiliar with backup/disaster recovery strategies for Linux/Unix. Is there a particular FAQ that you know of that may answer some basic questions.

Thanks. I feel that PostgreSQL offeres everything that SQL 7 offers, without the cost. Running a linux server is foreign to be, but I will learn and hopefully make a switch when competent.

Any opinions appreciated. 1) Redhat or Gentoo are my preferences.
2) Yes.
3) You might want to check out the O'Reilly book series, they have a few books on it I believe.
In general, though:
- Make daily tape backups of the system
- Dump your databases every night, ideally uploading them to a remote/safe location as well.
4) You might consider MySQL. It's the fastest of the open source DB's, and will probably find it easier to get support for it.

Except PostgreSQL supportz a few featurez that are impossible to port from MS SQL to MySQL :|

Thanks guys!

Project starts this monday..

As for MYSQL, it's definitely a great DBMS but it lacks transaction support. It also seems like it's locking could be more robust.

Just recently, I've learned to seperate my code from my DB stuff and instead of programming tons of SQL statements inline in my pages, I've went to using more stored procedures and stuff that executes fast on the server.

The linux/ ANSI SQL DB test is to see if my existing code and DB objects are 100% portable to other DBMS's (first goal) and if I achive that, then any DBMS/OS should be able to handle my data storage needs.

And of course, open source is the way to go if you don't want to be at the whims of the M$ juggernaught. I anticipate that their protected source model is going to fail very soon!

Thanks again.. I'll try RedHat this time around, but I'm gonna do the install the old fashioed way so I learn more about the file system.

One final question: There are different RH disto versions and Linux kernal versions:

Which is the $$ (good, stable) Red Hat distro version, and the current good kernal version of linux?

i believe the current stable linux kernel is 2.4.20. personally, i'm running slackware.

i hear with gentoo you have to compile EVERYTHING...?

also, i think mysql v4.x (it's in alpha) is capable of transactions.

but anyways, postgresql does have a few advantages over mysql... supposedly postgresql is more stable under very very very heavy load as oppose to mysql, which supposedly craps out.

You don't necessarily have to compile everything with gentoo (although that's the preferred way, since you're assured a completely optimized system). They offer various "stages" that require increasingly less compilation.

I had heard the mysql folks might add transactions, but who knows. Their market has always been the people who didn't require the extra features of high-end dbms, but wanted raw performance.

As for mysql stability, my research last semester involved basically attempting to stuff huge amounts of data into a mysql database very quickly. I tested it on a variety of machines (single/dual proc, IDE and SCSI), and never had a problem with it "crapping out".

Awesome :bigthumb:

RDBMS rulez!

This is the first I've heard of PostgreSQL though. :eek:

I thought transaction was already added to a version of MySQL.

PostGreSQL > MySQL, MySQL is not yet ready for production environments.

...MySQL has been in use in "production evironments" for a long time now.

Oracle > *
;)

Update:

Bong still works.