Re: Synchronizing slots from primary to standby

On Wed, Oct 18, 2023 at 4:24 PM Amit Kapila <amit(dot)kapila16(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 2:01 PM shveta malik <shveta(dot)malik(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> >
> > On Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 12:44 PM Peter Smith <smithpb2250(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> > >
> > > FYI - the latest patch failed to apply.
> > >
> > > [postgres(at)CentOS7-x64 oss_postgres_misc]$ git apply
> > > ../patches_misc/v24-0001-Allow-logical-walsenders-to-wait-for-the-physica.patch
> > > error: patch failed: src/include/utils/guc_hooks.h:160
> > > error: src/include/utils/guc_hooks.h: patch does not apply
> >
> > Rebased v24. PFA.
> >
>
> Few comments:
> ==============
> 1.
> + List of physical replication slots that logical replication
> with failover
> + enabled waits for.
>
> /logical replication/logical replication slots
>
> 2.
> If
> + <varname>enable_syncslot</varname> is not enabled on the
> + corresponding standbys, then it may result in indefinite waiting
> + on the primary for physical replication slots configured in
> + <varname>standby_slot_names</varname>
> + </para>
>
> Why the above leads to indefinite wait? I think we should just ignore
> standby_slot_names and probably LOG a message in the server for the
> same.
>

Sorry for confusion. This info was wrong, I have corrected it.

> 3.
> +++ b/src/backend/replication/logical/tablesync.c
> @@ -1412,7 +1412,8 @@ LogicalRepSyncTableStart(XLogRecPtr *origin_startpos)
> */
> walrcv_create_slot(LogRepWorkerWalRcvConn,
> slotname, false /* permanent */ , false /* two_phase */ ,
> - CRS_USE_SNAPSHOT, origin_startpos);
> + false /* enable_failover */ , CRS_USE_SNAPSHOT,
> + origin_startpos);
>
> As per this code, we won't enable failover for tablesync slots. So,
> what happens if we need to failover to new node after the tablesync
> worker has reached SUBREL_STATE_FINISHEDCOPY or SUBREL_STATE_DATASYNC?
> I think we won't be able to continue replication from failed over
> node. If this theory is correct, we have two options (a) enable
> failover for sync slots as well, if it is enabled for main slot; but
> then after we drop the slot on primary once sync is complete, same
> needs to be taken care at standby. (b) enable failover even for the
> main slot after all tables are in ready state, something similar to
> what we do for two_phase.

I have adopted approach a) right now. Table sync slot is created with
subscription's failover option and will be dropped by standby if it
dropped on primary.

>
> 4.
> + /* Verify syntax */
> + if (!validate_slot_names(newval, &elemlist))
> + return false;
> +
> + /* Now verify if these really exist and have correct type */
> + if (!validate_standby_slots(elemlist))
>
> These two functions serve quite similar functionality which makes
> their naming quite confusing. Can we directly move the functionality
> of validate_slot_names() into validate_standby_slots()?
>
> 5.
> +SlotSyncInitConfig(void)
> +{
> + char *rawname;
> +
> + /* Free the old one */
> + list_free(standby_slot_names_list);
> + standby_slot_names_list = NIL;
> +
> + if (strcmp(standby_slot_names, "") != 0)
> + {
> + rawname = pstrdup(standby_slot_names);
> + SplitIdentifierString(rawname, ',', &standby_slot_names_list);
>
> How does this handle the case where '*' is specified for standby_slot_names?
>

I have removed '*' related doc info in this patch and has introduced
error if '*' is given for this GUC. The reason being, I do not see a
way to figure out all physical standbys slot names on a primary to
make '*' work. We have info about all the physical slots created on
primary but which all are actually being used by standbys is not
known. Thoughts?

thanks
Shveta