Re: [PATCHES] Proposed patch: synchronized_scanningGUCvariable

Jeff Davis wrote
> > Well clusteredness is used or could be used for a few
> different heuristics,
> > not all of which this would be quite as well satisfied as
> readahead. But for
>
> Can you give an example? Treating a file as a circular structure does
> not impose any significant cost that I can see.

(Pure speculation follows... if you prefer facts, skip this noise)

The data used to create pg_stats.correlation is involved in estimating the cost of an index scan.
It could also be used in estimating the cost of a sequential scan, if the query includes a limit.

Consider:
select * from huge_table_clustered_by_A where A<most_As limit 1000

If the correlation for A is close to 1, a sequential scan should be cheaper than an index scan.

(If the query also included an order by clause, the sequential scan would have to read the entire table to ensure it had found the top 1000, instead of any old 1000 returned in order)

If A is a circular structure, you would have to know where it started, and include this info in the dump/restore (or lose A's correlation).

Stephen Denne.

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