Incorrect Autovacuum Configuration

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 92 views

Introduction

As a PostgreSQL administrator, it's essential to monitor and understand the behavior of your database, especially when it comes to autovacuum. In this article, we'll explore the possible reasons behind the constant vacuuming of pg_catalog.pg_attribute in PostgreSQL 10 on AWS Aurora.

Understanding Autovacuum

Autovacuum is a crucial feature in PostgreSQL that helps maintain the health and performance of your database by automatically running VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on tables. However, excessive autovacuum activity can lead to performance issues and increased resource usage.

The Problem: pg_catalog.pg_attribute

pg_catalog.pg_attribute is a system catalog table that stores information about columns in the database. It's a critical table that's used by various PostgreSQL components, including the query planner and the optimizer. The constant vacuuming of this table can lead to performance issues and may indicate underlying problems with your database.

Possible Causes

1. Incorrect Statistics

One possible reason for the constant vacuuming of pg_catalog.pg_attribute is incorrect statistics. If the statistics on this table are not accurate, autovacuum may run excessively to try to maintain the health of the table.

Solution: Run ANALYZE pg_catalog.pg_attribute; to update the statistics on this table.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor the statistics on pg_catalog.pg_attribute to ensure they're accurate.

2. High-Cardinality Indexes

High-cardinality indexes on pg_catalog.pg_attribute can lead to excessive autovacuum activity.

Solution: Reconsider the indexes on pg_catalog.pg_attribute and remove any high-cardinality indexes.
Monitoring: Monitor the index usage and cardinality to ensure they're not causing excessive autovacuum activity.

3. Incorrect Autovacuum Configuration

Incorrect autovacuum configuration can lead to excessive autovacuum activity.

Solution: Review the autovacuum configuration and adjust the settings as needed.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor the autovacuum activity to ensure it's not excessive.

4. System Catalog Corruption

System catalog corruption can lead to excessive autovacuum activity.

Solution: Run VACUUM (FULL) pg_catalog.pg_attribute; to repair any corruption on this table.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor the system catalogs for corruption.

5. Other Possible Causes

Other possible causes of excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute include:

High-traffic database: A high-traffic database can lead to excessive autovacuum activity.
Incorrect database configuration: Incorrect database configuration can lead to excessive autovacuum activity.
Third-party tools: Third-party tools can cause excessive autovacuum activity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the constant vacuuming of pg_catalog.pg_attribute can be caused by a variety of factors, including incorrect statistics, high-cardinality indexes, incorrect autovacuum configuration, system catalog corruption, and other possible causes. By understanding the possible causes and taking corrective action, you can resolve the issue and maintain the health and performance of your database.

Best Practices

To prevent excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute, follow these best practices:

Regularly monitor statistics: Regularly monitor the statistics on pg_catalog.pg_attribute to ensure they're accurate.
Reconsider indexes: Reconsider the indexes on pg_catalog.pg_attribute and remove any high-cardinality indexes.
Review autovacuum configuration: Review the autovacuum configuration and adjust the settings as needed.
Regularly repair system catalogs: Regularly repair system catalogs to prevent corruption.

Additional Resources

For more information on autovacuum and system catalogs, refer to the following resources:

PostgreSQL Documentation: Autovacuum
PostgreSQL Documentation: System Catalogs
AWS Aurora Documentation: Autovacuum

Q: What is autovacuum and why is it running excessively on pg_catalog.pg_attribute?

A: Autovacuum is a feature in PostgreSQL that helps maintain the health and performance of your database by automatically running VACUUM and ANALYZE commands on tables. Excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute can be caused by a variety of factors, including incorrect statistics, high-cardinality indexes, incorrect autovacuum configuration, system catalog corruption, and other possible causes.

Q: How can I determine if my autovacuum configuration is correct?

A: To determine if your autovacuum configuration is correct, follow these steps:

Review the autovacuum configuration: Run SHOW autovacuum_vacuum_threshold; and SHOW autovacuum_vacuum_scale_factor; to review the autovacuum configuration.
Adjust the autovacuum configuration: Adjust the autovacuum configuration as needed to prevent excessive autovacuum activity.
Monitor the autovacuum activity: Regularly monitor the autovacuum activity to ensure it's not excessive.

Q: What are high-cardinality indexes and how can they cause excessive autovacuum activity?

A: High-cardinality indexes are indexes that have a high number of unique values. These indexes can cause excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute because they require frequent maintenance.

Q: How can I determine if my indexes are causing excessive autovacuum activity?

A: To determine if your indexes are causing excessive autovacuum activity, follow these steps:

Monitor the index usage: Regularly monitor the index usage to determine if the indexes are being used frequently.
Monitor the index cardinality: Regularly monitor the index cardinality to determine if the indexes have a high number of unique values.
Reconsider the indexes: Reconsider the indexes on pg_catalog.pg_attribute and remove any high-cardinality indexes.

Q: What is system catalog corruption and how can it cause excessive autovacuum activity?

A: System catalog corruption is a condition where the system catalogs become corrupted, leading to excessive autovacuum activity.

Q: How can I determine if my system catalogs are corrupted?

A: To determine if your system catalogs are corrupted, follow these steps:

Run VACUUM (FULL) on the system catalogs: Run VACUUM (FULL) pg_catalog.pg_attribute; to repair any corruption on the system catalogs.
Monitor the system catalogs: Regularly monitor the system catalogs for corruption.

Q: What are some best practices for preventing excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute?

A: Some best practices for preventing excessive autovacuum activity on pg_catalog.pg_attribute include:

Regularly monitor statistics: Regularly monitor the statistics on pg_catalog.pg_attribute to ensure they're accurate.
Reconsider indexes: Reconsider the indexes on pg_catalog.pg_attribute and remove any high-cardinality indexes.
Review autovacuum configuration: Review the autovacuum configuration and adjust the settings as needed.
Regularly repair system catalogs: Regularly repair system catalogs to prevent corruption.

Q: Where can I find more information on autovacuum and system catalogs?

A: For more information on autovacuum and system catalogs, refer to the following resources:

PostgreSQL Documentation: Autovacuum
PostgreSQL Documentation: System Catalogs
AWS Aurora Documentation: Autovacuum