Putting files into fields in a table

["Campbell, Lance" <lance(at)uiuc(dot)edu>]

PostgreSQL: 8.2

I am looking at the possibility of storing files in some of my database tables.  My concern is obviously performance.  I have configured PostgreSQL to take advantage of Linux file caching.  So my PostgreSQL does not have a large setting for shared_buffers even though I have 24G of memory.  The performance today is very good. 

 

Some questions I have:

 

What data type should I use for fields that hold files?

Is there anything that I should be aware of when putting files into a field in a table?

When PostgreSQL accesses a table that has fields that contain files does it put the fields that contain the files into the shared_buffers memory area?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Lance Campbell

Project Manager/Software Architect

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University of Illinois

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