DeadLocks

This is my first posting to this site, but it's my last resort. We're running 7.0.3. I have 20 servlets that make use of our postgres database. All of the programs are able to perform their assigned SQL tasks, but not on a consistent basis. Often and unpredictably, different programs performing different functions (add, delete, update) will essentially hang. I will view the process (ps -ef) and postgres will be in an (commit, delete or update) state but does not finish. All others wishing to perform a task either via the browser or at command line (psql) will hang. The only way I can free up the process is having our sysadmin "kill" the process.

The ten tables contain less than 400 rows. We are in test mode and will go into production after this "show stopper" is resolved.

I have run "vacuum" which also hangs on one table that contain 382 rows. I am the sole tester, so I am not clashing with other persons. The servlets each make their own connection using the postgres' jdbc driver. The connections are closed at the end of the program. These programs are very simple insert, update, select statements.

Has anybody else had this problem? What debugging methods/tools/logs will help.

This is a very small development shop, so I'm throwing this out to a larger community for the first time.

Thanks,
Gordon Campbell
gordie(at)columbia(dot)edu
Educational Technologist
212-854-1869