Re: 64 bit Win 2008, 32 bit client, ?bit Postgres?

From: pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org [mailto:pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Russell Keane
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 9:25 AM
To: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: [GENERAL] 64 bit Win 2008, 32 bit client, ?bit Postgres?

I appreciate this may have been answered before but I can find no definitive answer so please bear with me...

I found a good explanation here but it's a bit out of date:
http://blog.hagander.net/archives/73-PostgreSQL-vs-64-bit-windows.html

We have a 64 bit Win 2008 machine with 16 GB RAM
Our 32 bit client applications are on 32 bit windows.
We have developed and tested against 32 bit postgres.

Would it be better to upgrade postgres to (or start out with) 64 bit?

As I understand it, under windows you're better off leaving the memory for the OS as postgres relies heavily on OS level caching and, as postgres is multi-process, in theory each process (and therefore connection) could address up to 4 GB anyway.

Also, I understand that 64 bit can handle larger numbers (and possibly move dates around more efficiently) but are there any fundamental differences between the functionality or behaviour in 32 / 64 postgres for windows?

Thanks for your help,

Regards,

Regards,

Russell Keane

[Schnabel, Robert D.]

Have a look at this post. While not directly answering your question as to fundamental differences it is applicable if you think you're going to be able to do larger sorts etc.
http://www.postgresql.org/message-id/17895.1315869622@sss.pgh.pa.us

Bob