[KLUG Members] Postgres Cluster

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> > You run the databases on high-end machines, most likely with fiber-channel 
> > interconnects. $$$,$$$.99 at a minumum.  I know of an Informix 
> > cluster instance of two geographically distant servers interconnected by 
> > an OC-3.  (Informix supports clusting, but since it isn't a 'current' 
> > product I wouldn't recommend any buy it - hence Oracle and DB2).  I think 
> > their monthly connect fee is probably higher than my entire annual IT 
> > budget.
> Ohhh.  I get it nowwwww.  Act like the military and throw money at the
> problem.  Sooner or later one of those wads of cash will accomplish the
> task.

Sort of like the military - except this organization actually makes
money and builds things verses taking my money and using it to destroy
things. <RANT>Every American should have a check box on their tax form
saying if they want to fund the military - if you check no then you
should be able to take the %%% that would have gone to the sick freaks
at the Pentagon and donate it to any 501c3 of your choice.</RANT>

If you are running tens of millions of dollars worth of transactions a
day.... you look at the cost of an OC-3 and go "pphhffttt" and make the
universal 'whatever' sign with your hands. :)

> It seems to me that geographically separated machines would be the most
> common reason to have true multi master clustering.  A hive of slave
> replicants would seem to be more appropriate for the same building where
> failover is the greatest concern.

Agree.  Although I think multi-master does probably make the application
side simpler unless you have some middle tier that recognizes a
fail-over has occurred.  And LDAP server can tell a client 'no, send
this over there' but I don't think most database libraries support
anything similar.