[postgis-users] Rv: Postgis for Postgres 64 bits

[Andy Colson]

On 02/04/2012 02:31 PM, Darrel Maddy wrote:
> I am no db expert, indeed I am new to PG and postgis so I guess I
> have some preconceptions (and a lot to learn)! If you are correct
> though it would suggest there is little point to having a 64 bit
> version - so why do they do it?

There is a huge benefit.  32-bit windows can only access 4 gig of ram.  (Did I say 2 before?  I think its 4).

any memory not in use by a program can be used by the os as a disk cache.  The more you can read out of ram the better.  A 64-bit os with 64 Gig of ram ... that's a _lot_ of disk cache!

Each client connection to the database can still access 4 Gig (set work_mem in the postgresql.conf file) for its own personal use.  That's a different set of 4 Gig.  In 32-bit all the client connections would have to share a total of 4 Gig.  with 64-bit each client gets its own 4 Gig.

While 64-bit OS is good... I'm not sure 64-bit Postgres would be any better than 32-bit.

I am just assuming thought.  Never tested it.

-Andy