Re: configuring timezone

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Adrian Klaver [mailto:adrian(dot)klaver(at)gmail(dot)com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 4:40 PM
> To: Igor Neyman
> Cc: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] configuring timezone
>
> On 02/06/2013 10:32 AM, Igor Neyman wrote:
> > Timezone configuration parameter (defaulting to system timezone)
> > worked fine for us before upgrading from 8.4. to 9.2.
> >
> > Now we've got a problem.
> >
> > 9.2 Release Notes says:
> >
> > * Identify the server time zone during initdb, and set
> > postgresql.conf entries timezone
> > <http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/runtime-config-
> client.html#
> > GUC-TIMEZONE>
> > and log_timezone
> > <http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.2/static/runtime-config-
> logging.html
> > #GUC-LOG-TIMEZONE>
> > accordingly (Tom Lane)
> >
> > This avoids expensive time zone probes during server start.
> >
> > Question: is there any way to revert back to old behavior so that
> > server will probe system's timezone on startup (default to OS
> timezone
> > on
> > startup) instead setting it during initdb?
> >
> > Obviously, without recompiling/rebuilding Postgres.
> >
> > I'm dealing with the situation, where system is being built in one
> > timezone (could be anywhere around the globe), and then moved to
> other
> > (not known during system build) location with different timezone.
> >
> > After relocation, OS timezone will change, but we can't allow user to
> > edit timezone parameter in Postgresql.conf.
>
>
> It is not possible to change the postgresql.conf just before the
> relocate? In other words do you have no idea where the server will end
> up?
>
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Igor Neyman
> >
>
>
> --
> Adrian Klaver
> adrian(dot)klaver(at)gmail(dot)com

Sometimes, but not always.

Going back to the reason for this change in Release Notes:

"This avoids expensive time zone probes during server start."

How expensive? How often Postgres is restarted?
We aren't restarting Postgres for months. Doesn't seem to be very valid reason, at least not for us :)

Igor Neyman