Thread

1. Database Stalls

   Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> — 2023-01-30T17:47:49Z

   Hi,
   
   We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a
   few seconds.
   
   We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After
   which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do
   so.
   
   There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what could
   be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a
   pause and resume.
   
   Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to
   checking the underlying disk that the db is on?
   
   Thanks,
   
   Gurmokh
   

2. Re: Database Stalls

   Justin Pryzby <pryzby@telsasoft.com> — 2023-01-30T17:51:18Z

   On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 05:47:49PM +0000, Mok wrote:
   > Hi,
   > 
   > We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a
   > few seconds.
   > 
   > We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After
   > which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do
   > so.
   > 
   > There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what could
   > be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a
   > pause and resume.
   > 
   > Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to
   > checking the underlying disk that the db is on?
   
   What version postgres?  What settings have non-default values ?                                                                                                     
   What OS/version?  What environment/hardware?  VM/image/provider/...                                                                                                 
   
   Have you enabled logging for vacuum/checkpoints/locks ?
   
   https://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Slow_Query_Questions
   
   
   
   

3. Re: Database Stalls

   José Arthur Benetasso Villanova <jose.arthur@gmail.com> — 2023-01-30T18:10:54Z

   On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 2:51 PM Justin Pryzby <pryzby@telsasoft.com> wrote:
   
   > On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 05:47:49PM +0000, Mok wrote:
   > > Hi,
   > >
   > > We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a
   > > few seconds.
   > >
   > > We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After
   > > which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do
   > > so.
   > >
   > > There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what
   > could
   > > be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a
   > > pause and resume.
   > >
   > > Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to
   > > checking the underlying disk that the db is on?
   >
   > What version postgres?  What settings have non-default values ?
   >
   >
   > What OS/version?  What environment/hardware?  VM/image/provider/...
   >
   >
   >
   > Have you enabled logging for vacuum/checkpoints/locks ?
   >
   > https://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Slow_Query_Questions
   >
   >
   > In addition to previous questions, if possible, a SELECT * FROM
   pg_stat_activity at the moment of the stall. The most important information
   is the wait_event column. My guess is the disk, but just the select at the
   right moment can answer this.
   
   -- 
   José Arthur Benetasso Villanova
   

4. Re: Database Stalls

   Shiv Iyer <shiv@minervadb.com> — 2023-01-30T18:47:33Z

   Hi Burmokh,
   
   Please take a look at this article copied below and ping me for further guidance. Thanks! 
   
   
   How expensive SQLs can impact PostgreSQL Performance? - https://minervadb.xyz/how-expensive-sqls-can-impact-postgresql-performance/ 
   
   
   —
   Best
   Shiv 
   
   
   
   > On 30-Jan-2023, at 11:17 PM, Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> wrote:
   > 
   > Hi, 
   > 
   > We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a few seconds. 
   > 
   > We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do so. 
   > 
   > There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what could be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a pause and resume. 
   > 
   > Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to checking the underlying disk that the db is on? 
   > 
   > Thanks, 
   > 
   > Gurmokh 
   > 
   > 
   
   

5. Re: Database Stalls

   Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> — 2023-01-30T21:31:57Z

   Hi,
   
   Unfortunately there is no pg_stat_activity data available as we are unaware
   of the issue until it has already happened.
   
   The version we are on is 12.11.
   
   I don't think it is due to locks as there are none in the logs. Vacuums are
   logged also and none occur before or after this event. Checkpoint timeout
   is set to 1 hour and these events do not coincide with checkpoints.
   
   Gurmokh
   
   On Mon, 30 Jan 2023 at 18:47, Shiv Iyer <shiv@minervadb.com> wrote:
   
   > Hi Burmokh,
   >
   > Please take a look at this article copied below and ping me for further
   > guidance. Thanks!
   >
   >
   > How expensive SQLs can impact PostgreSQL Performance? -
   > https://minervadb.xyz/how-expensive-sqls-can-impact-postgresql-performance/
   >
   >
   > —
   > Best
   > Shiv
   >
   >
   >
   > On 30-Jan-2023, at 11:17 PM, Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> wrote:
   >
   > Hi,
   >
   > We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a
   > few seconds.
   >
   > We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After
   > which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do
   > so.
   >
   > There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what could
   > be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a
   > pause and resume.
   >
   > Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to
   > checking the underlying disk that the db is on?
   >
   > Thanks,
   >
   > Gurmokh
   >
   >
   >
   >
   

6. Fwd: Database Stalls

   Rick Otten <rottenwindfish@gmail.com> — 2023-01-30T22:47:50Z

   On Mon, Jan 30, 2023 at 4:32 PM Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> wrote:
   
   > Hi,
   >
   > Unfortunately there is no pg_stat_activity data available as we are
   > unaware of the issue until it has already happened.
   >
   > The version we are on is 12.11.
   >
   > I don't think it is due to locks as there are none in the logs. Vacuums
   > are logged also and none occur before or after this event. Checkpoint
   > timeout is set to 1 hour and these events do not coincide with checkpoints.
   >
   > Gurmokh
   >
   >>
   >>
   Have you eliminated network issues?  I have seen what looks like a database
   stalling to end up actually being the network packets taking a side trip to
   halfway around the world for a while.  Or DNS lookups suddenly taking a
   really long time.
   
   The next most likely thing is disk i/o.  Do you have huge corresponding
   disk i/o spikes or does it drop completely to zero (which is also bad -
   especially if you are on a SAN and you can't get any packets out on that
   network).  You'll have to look at your disks via OS tools to see.
   
   Do you have any hardware faults?  Errors on a hardware bus?  Overheating?
   I used to have a system that would freeze up entirely due to a problem with
   a serial port that we had a console attached to - it was sending a low
   level interrupt.  Sometimes it would recover mysteriously if someone hit
   the carriage return a couple times.  Ie, is it _really_ the database that
   is locking up, or is it your hardware?
   

7. Re: Database Stalls

   Craig Jackson <craig.jackson@broadcom.com> — 2023-02-03T16:25:45Z

   Consider creating a pg_stat_activity history table. This would allow you to
   look back at the time of incident and verify if any unusual activity was
   occurring in the database. Something like:
   
   CREATE TABLE pg_stat_activity_hist ASSELECT
       now() AS sample_time,
       a.*FROM
       pg_stat_activity a WITH NO data;
   
   
   Then with a cron job or a pg job scheduler insert the pg_stat_activity
   history at some desired interval (e.g 30s, 1m or 5m):
   
   INSERT INTO pg_stat_activity_hist
   SELECT
       now(),
       a.*
   FROM
       pg_stat_activity a
   WHERE
       state IN ('active', 'idle in transaction’);
   
   Then regularly purge any sample_times older than some desired interval (1
   day, 1 week, 1 month).
   
   Not a perfect solution because the problem (if a db problem) could occur
   between your pg_stat_activity samples. We keep this kind of history and it
   is very helpful when trying to find a post-event root cause.
   
   Craig
   
   
   
   On Jan 30, 2023 at 10:47:49 AM, Mok <gurmokh@gmail.com> wrote:
   
   > Hi,
   >
   > We've started to observe instances of one of our databases stalling for a
   > few seconds.
   >
   > We see a spike in wal write locks then nothing for a few seconds. After
   > which we have spike latency as processes waiting to get to the db can do
   > so.
   >
   > There is nothing in the postgres logs that give us any clues to what could
   > be happening, no locks, unusually high/long running transactions, just a
   > pause and resume.
   >
   > Could anyone give me any advice as to what to look for when it comes to
   > checking the underlying disk that the db is on?
   >
   > Thanks,
   >
   > Gurmokh
   >
   >
   >
   
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