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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for PostgreSQL

Sun Solaris specific

to be read in conjunction with the installation instructions

To be read in conjunction with the installation instructions.

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last updated: $Date: 2006/10/04 22:03:22 $

Last updated: $Date: 2006/10/0503:13:15 $

Contents:

You will need

-GNU zip (for installing the documentation)

-GNU make

-GNU readline library (optional)

-Sun Studio CC or GCC

GNU zip (for installing the documentation)

GNU make

GNU readline library (optional)

Sun Studio CC or GCC

You can download Sun Studio from:

http://developers.sun.com/prodtech/cc/downloads/index.jsp

If you like packages for older version of Solaris, you can find these

tools here:

http://www.sunfreeware.com or http://www.blastwave.org

http://www.sunfreeware.com or http://www.blastwave.org

If you prefer sources, look here:

http://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html

You can build with either GCC or Sun's compiler suite. For better

code optimalization Sun's compiler is strongly recommended on the

SPARC architecture. We have heard reports of problems when using

gcc 2.95.1; gcc 2.95.3 or later is recommended. If you are using

Sun's compiler, be careful *not* to select /usr/ucb/cc;

use /opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc.

http://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html

You can build with either GCC or Sun's compiler suite. For better code

optimalization Sun's compiler is strongly recommended on the SPARC

architecture. We have heard reports of problems when using gcc 2.95.1;

gcc 2.95.3 or later is recommended. If you are using Sun's compiler, be

careful *not* to select /usr/ucb/cc; use /opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc.

2) Why do I get problems when building with OpenSSL support?

When you build PostgreSQL with OpenSSL support you might get

compilationerrors in the following files:

When you build PostgreSQL with OpenSSL support you might get compilation

errors in the following files:

src/backend/libpq/crypt.c

src/backend/libpq/password.c

src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c

src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c

src/backend/libpq/crypt.c

src/backend/libpq/password.c

src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c

src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c

This is because of a namespace conflict between the standard

/usr/include/crypt.h header and the header files provided by OpenSSL.

Upgrading your OpenSSL installation to version 0.9.6a fixes this

problem.

Solaris 9 and above already newer version of OpenSSL.

problem. Solaris 9 and above already newer version of OpenSSL.

3) Why does configure complain about a failed test program?

This is probably a case of the run-time linker being unable to find

some library. On solaris 8 and older it should be libz or some other

non-standard library, such as libssl. To point it to the right location,

set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable, e.g.,

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/sfw/lib:/opt/sfw/lib:/usr/local/lib

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH

This is probably a case of the run-time linker being unable to find some

library. On solaris 8 and older it should be libz or some other

non-standard library, such as libssl. To point it to the right

location, set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable, e.g.,

Alternatively, set the environment variable LD_RUN_PATH. See the

ld(1) man page for more information.

and restart configure. You will also have to keep this setting whenever

you run any of the installed PostgreSQL programs. Alternatively, set

the environment variable LD_RUN_PATH. See the ld(1) man page for more

information.

4) Why does my 64-bit build sometimes crash?

On Solaris 7 and older, the 64-bit version of libc has a buggy vsnprintf

routine, which leads to erratic core dumps in PostgreSQL. The simplest known

workaround is to force PostgreSQL to use its own version of vsnprintf rather

than the library copy. To do this, after you run 'configure' edit a file

produced by configure:

routine, which leads to erratic core dumps in PostgreSQL. The simplest

knownworkaround is to force PostgreSQL to use its own version of

vsnprintf ratherthan the library copy. To do this, after you run

'configure' edit a fileproduced by configure:

In src/Makefile.global, change the line

LIBOBJS =

to read

LIBOBJS = snprintf.o

(There might be other files already listed in this variable. Order

5) How can I compile for optimum performance?

On SPARC architecture Sun Studio is strongly recommended for compilation.

Try using -xO5 optimalization flag to generate significantly faster binaries.

Do not use any flags which modify behavior of floating point operations and

errno processing (e.g. -fast). These flags should raise some nonstandard

PostgreSQL behavior for example in the date/time computing.

On SPARC architecture Sun Studio is strongly recommended for

compilation. Try using -xO5 optimalization flag to generate

significantly faster binaries. Do not use any flags which modify

behavior of floating point operations and errno processing (e.g.

-fast). These flags should raise some nonstandard PostgreSQL behavior

for example in the date/time computing.

If you do not reason to use 64-bit binaries on SPARC, prefer 32-bit version.

The 64-bit operations are slower and 64-bit binaries are slower then 32-bits.

And on other side a 32-bit code on the AMD64 CPU family is not native and

that is why 32-bit code is significant slower on this CPU family.

If you do not reason to use 64-bit binaries on SPARC, prefer 32-bit

version. The 64-bit operations are slower and 64-bit binaries are slower

then 32-bits. And on other side a 32-bit code on the AMD64 CPU family is

not native and that is why 32-bit code is significant slower on this

CPU family.

6) How to compile PostgreSQL with Sun Studio?

On Solaris 10 you can performed following steps:

export CC=/opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc

export CFLAGS=-xO5

export LDFLAGS=-lm

./configure --without-readline

gmake

export CC=/opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc

export CFLAGS=-xO5

export LDFLAGS=-lm

./configure --without-readline

gmake

7) Where I can download prepared Solaris packages?

The PostgreSQL is bundled with Solaris 10 (from update 2). Official packages

are too available on http://pgfoundry.org/projects/solarispackages/.

Packages for olderSolaris version (8,9) you can download from:

http://www.sunfreeware.comor http://www.blastwave.org

The PostgreSQL is bundled with Solaris 10 (from update 2). Official

packagesare too available on

Solaris version (8,9) you can download from: http://www.sunfreeware.com

or http://www.blastwave.org

8) How to tune PostgreSQL and Solaris for best performance?

Some tuning tricks can be found here:

http://www.sun.com/servers/coolthreads/tnb/applications_postgresql.jsp

http://www.sun.com/servers/coolthreads/tnb/applications_postgresql.jsp

This article is primary focused on T2000 platform, however, many of

recommendations are general for other hardware with Solaris.

9) Can I use dtrace for tracing PostgreSQL?

The PostgreSQL 8.2 has implemented dtrace support. You can enable it by

the --enable-dtrace configure switch. If you want to compile a 64-bit code

with dtrace you must specify DTRACEFLAGS='-64', e.g.

the --enable-dtrace configure switch. If you want to compile a 64-bit

codewith dtrace you must specify DTRACEFLAGS='-64', e.g.

Using gcc compiler:

$ ./configure CC='gcc -m64' --enable-dtrace DTRACEFLAGS='-64' ...

$ ./configure CC='gcc -m64' --enable-dtrace DTRACEFLAGS='-64' ...

Using Sun compiler:

$ configure CC='/opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc -xtarget=native64' --enable-dtrace DTRACEFLAGS='-64'

$ configure CC='/opt/SUNWspro/bin/cc -xtarget=native64' --enable-dtrace DTRACEFLAGS='-64'

If you have some problem with postgres linking, looks like:

Undefined first referenced

symbol in file

AbortTransaction utils/probes.o

CommitTransaction utils/probes.o

ld: fatal: Symbol referencing errors. No output written to postgres

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

gmake: *** [postgres] Error 1

, check ifyou haveSolaris 10u3 or newer installed on your box.

Ifyou havesome problem with postgres linking, looks like:

You can also find more information here:

http://blogs.sun.com/robertlor/entry/user_level_dtrace_probes_in

Undefined first referenced

symbol in file

AbortTransaction utils/probes.o

CommitTransaction utils/probes.o

ld: fatal: Symbol referencing errors. No output written to postgres

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

gmake: *** [postgres] Error 1

check if you have Solaris 10u3 or newer installed on your box. You can

also find more information here:

http://blogs.sun.com/robertlor/entry/user_level_dtrace_probes_in