Add pg_buffercache_evict_{relation,all} functions

In addition to the added functions, the pg_buffercache_evict() function now
shows whether the buffer was flushed.

pg_buffercache_evict_relation(): Evicts all shared buffers in a
relation at once.
pg_buffercache_evict_all(): Evicts all shared buffers at once.

Both functions provide mechanism to evict multiple shared buffers at
once. They are designed to address the inefficiency of repeatedly calling
pg_buffercache_evict() for each individual buffer, which can be time-consuming
when dealing with large shared buffer pools. (e.g., ~477ms vs. ~2576ms for
16GB of fully populated shared buffers).

These functions are intended for developer testing and debugging
purposes and are available to superusers only.

Minimal tests for the new functions are included. Also, there was no test for
pg_buffercache_evict(), test for this added too.

No new extension version is needed, as it was already increased this release
by ba2a3c2302f.

Author: Nazir Bilal Yavuz <byavuz81@gmail.com>
Reviewed-by: Andres Freund <andres@anarazel.de>
Reviewed-by: Aidar Imamov <a.imamov@postgrespro.ru>
Reviewed-by: Joseph Koshakow <koshy44@gmail.com>
Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/CAN55FZ0h_YoSqqutxV6DES1RW8ig6wcA8CR9rJk358YRMxZFmw%40mail.gmail.com

1 files changed, 68 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/pgbuffercache.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/pgbuffercache.sgml
index b5050cd7343..ef5732942f7 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/pgbuffercache.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/pgbuffercache.sgml
@@ -27,14 +27,24 @@
   <primary>pg_buffercache_evict</primary>
  </indexterm>
 
+ <indexterm>
+  <primary>pg_buffercache_evict_relation</primary>
+ </indexterm>
+
+ <indexterm>
+  <primary>pg_buffercache_evict_all</primary>
+ </indexterm>
+
  <para>
   This module provides the <function>pg_buffercache_pages()</function>
   function (wrapped in the <structname>pg_buffercache</structname> view),
   <function>pg_buffercache_numa_pages()</function> function (wrapped in the
   <structname>pg_buffercache_numa</structname> view), the
   <function>pg_buffercache_summary()</function> function, the
-  <function>pg_buffercache_usage_counts()</function> function and
-  the <function>pg_buffercache_evict()</function> function.
+  <function>pg_buffercache_usage_counts()</function> function, the
+  <function>pg_buffercache_evict()</function>, the
+  <function>pg_buffercache_evict_relation()</function> function and the
+  <function>pg_buffercache_evict_all()</function> function.
  </para>
 
  <para>
@@ -76,6 +86,19 @@
   function is restricted to superusers only.
  </para>
 
+ <para>
+  The <function>pg_buffercache_evict_relation()</function> function allows all
+  unpinned shared buffers in the relation to be evicted from the buffer pool
+  given a relation identifier.  Use of this function is restricted to
+  superusers only.
+ </para>
+
+ <para>
+  The <function>pg_buffercache_evict_all()</function> function allows all
+  unpinned shared buffers to be evicted in the buffer pool.  Use of this
+  function is restricted to superusers only.
+ </para>
+
  <sect2 id="pgbuffercache-pg-buffercache">
   <title>The <structname>pg_buffercache</structname> View</title>
 
@@ -452,11 +475,49 @@
   <para>
    The <function>pg_buffercache_evict()</function> function takes a buffer
    identifier, as shown in the <structfield>bufferid</structfield> column of
-   the <structname>pg_buffercache</structname> view.  It returns true on success,
-   and false if the buffer wasn't valid, if it couldn't be evicted because it
-   was pinned, or if it became dirty again after an attempt to write it out.
-   The result is immediately out of date upon return, as the buffer might
-   become valid again at any time due to concurrent activity.  The function is
+   the <structname>pg_buffercache</structname> view.  It returns information
+   about whether the buffer was evicted and flushed.  The buffer_evicted
+   column is true on success, and false if the buffer wasn't valid, if it
+   couldn't be evicted because it was pinned, or if it became dirty again
+   after an attempt to write it out.  The buffer_flushed column is true if the
+   buffer was flushed.  This does not necessarily mean that buffer was flushed
+   by us, it might be flushed by someone else.  The result is immediately out
+   of date upon return, as the buffer might become valid again at any time due
+   to concurrent activity. The function is intended for developer testing
+   only.
+  </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2 id="pgbuffercache-pg-buffercache-evict-relation">
+  <title>The <structname>pg_buffercache_evict_relation</structname> Function</title>
+  <para>
+   The <function>pg_buffercache_evict_relation()</function> function is very
+   similar to the <function>pg_buffercache_evict()</function> function.  The
+   difference is that the <function>pg_buffercache_evict_relation()</function>
+   takes a relation identifier instead of buffer identifier.  It tries to
+   evict all buffers for all forks in that relation.
+
+   It returns the number of evicted buffers, flushed buffers and the number of
+   buffers that could not be evicted.  Flushed buffers haven't necessarily
+   been flushed by us, they might have been flushed by someone else.  The
+   result is immediately out of date upon return, as buffers might immediately
+   be read back in due to concurrent activity.  The function is intended for
+   developer testing only.
+  </para>
+ </sect2>
+
+ <sect2 id="pgbuffercache-pg-buffercache-evict-all">
+  <title>The <structname>pg_buffercache_evict_all</structname> Function</title>
+  <para>
+   The <function>pg_buffercache_evict_all()</function> function is very
+   similar to the <function>pg_buffercache_evict()</function> function.  The
+   difference is, the <function>pg_buffercache_evict_all()</function> function
+   does not take an argument; instead it tries to evict all buffers in the
+   buffer pool.  It returns the number of evicted buffers, flushed buffers and
+   the number of buffers that could not be evicted.  Flushed buffers haven't
+   necessarily been flushed by us, they might have been flushed by someone
+   else.  The result is immediately out of date upon return, as buffers might
+   immediately be read back in due to concurrent activity.  The function is
    intended for developer testing only.
   </para>
  </sect2>