pg_rlimit

pg_rlimit is an extension that provides interface for setrlimit(2) and getrlimit(2) by GUC parameters and SQL functions.

Both ulimit -v and systemd LimitAS apply to all PostgreSQL processes, but this extension allows them to be applied on a per-session basis.

requirements and limitation

pg_rlimit needs setrlimit(2) and getrlimit(2) for OS systemcall.

pg_rlimit uses ClientAuthentication_hook for the PostgreSQL source. PostgreSQL 9.3.x to 18.x are supported.

pg_rlimit now supports only RLIMIT_AS (Max address space).

install

$ make 
$ su -c 'make install'
$ psql -U postgres -d db -c 'CREATE EXTENSION pg_rlimit'

usage

usage by functions

$ ( ulimit -v 310000 ; pg_ctl start ) ## by kB
$ psql -U dbuser -d db 
db=> SELECT * FROM pg_getrlimit('v'); -- by bytes
 pg_getrlimit
--------------
    317440000
(1 row)
 
db=> SELECT * FROM pg_setrlimit('v', 257000000); -- by bytes
 pg_setrlimit
--------------
    257000000
(1 row)
  
db=> SELECT * FROM pg_setrlimit('v', 117000000);
 pg_setrlimit
--------------
    117000000
(1 row)
 
db=> SELECT length(repeat(string_agg(md5(g::text), ','),1024)) FROM generate_series(1, 10000) g;
ERROR:  out of memory
DETAIL:  Failed on request of size 337918980 in memory context "ExprContext".

db=> \q

usage by GUC parameter

$ vi $PGDATA/postgresql.conf
 
    shared_preload_libraries = 'pg_rlimit'
    pg_rlimit.v = '1GB'
 
$ pg_ctl restart
$ psql -U dbuser -d db
 
db=> SHOW pg_rlimit.v;
 pg_rlimit.v
-------------
 1GB
(1 row)
      
db=> SET pg_rlimit.v TO '512MB';
SET
db=> SHOW pg_rlimit.v;
 pg_rlimit.v
-------------
 512MB
(1 row)

db=> SELECT * FROM pg_getrlimit('v');
 pg_getrlimit
--------------
    536870912
(1 row)

Note

"Max address space" includes the size of the shared buffer in use. It is not possible to limit only the use of private memory by backend processes.