Re:

On mán, 2006-04-10 at 10:30 +0200, Doron Baranes wrote:

> I Attached here a file with details about the tables, the queries and
> the
> Explain analyze plans.
> Hope this can be helpful to analyze my problem

first query:

> explain analyze SELECT date_trunc('hour'::text,
> i.entry_time) AS datetime,
> COUNT(fr.grp_fate_id) ,
> SUM(i.size)
> FROM log.msg_info as i,log.msg_fate as f,
> log.msg_fate_recipients as fr
> WHERE i.origin = 1
> AND i.msgid=f.msgid
> AND i.entry_time > '2006-01-25'
> AND f.grp_fate_id=fr.grp_fate_id
> GROUP BY datetime
> order by datetime;

if i.origin has high selectivity (if very
few rows in msg_info have origin=1 in this
case), an index on msg_info(orgin) can help.
unfortunately, as you are using 7.4 and this
is a smallint column, you would have to change
the query slightly to make use of that:
WHERE i.origin = 1::smallint
if more than a few % or the rows have this value,
then this will not help

the index on msg_info(entry_time) is unlikely
to be used, because a simple '>' comparison
has little selectivity. try to add an upper limit
to the query to make it easier for the planner
so see that few rows would be returned (if that is
the case)
for example:
AND i.entry_time BETWEEN '2006-01-25'
AND '2006-05-01'
this might also improve the estimated number
of groups on datetime (notice: estimated rows=1485233,
real=623), although I am not sure if that will help you

I do now know how good the planner is with dealing
with the date_trunc('hour'::text, i.entry_time),
so possibly you could get some improvement with
an indexed entry_hour column populated with trigger
or by your application, and change your query to:

explain analyze SELECT i.entry_hour,
COUNT(fr.grp_fate_id) ,
SUM(i.size)
FROM log.msg_info as i,log.msg_fate as f, log.msg_fate_recipients as fr
WHERE i.origin = 1
AND i.msgid=f.msgid
AND i.entry_hour BETWEEN '2006-01-25:00:00'
AND '2006-05-01:00:00'
AND f.grp_fate_id=fr.grp_fate_id
GROUP BY entry_hour
order by entry_hour;

(adjust the upper limit to your reality)

do these suggestions help at all?

gnari