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Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:27:05 +0100
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Subject: Making parallel database queries from PHP
From: arend@hyves.nl ("Arend van Beelen")

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Hi there,

I am researching the possibility of developing a shared library which can
perform database queries in parallel to multiple databases. One important
requirement is that I will be able to use this functionality from PHP.
Because I know PHP is not thread-safe due to other libraries, I am wondering
what would be the best way to implement this. Right now I can imagine three
solutions:

- Use multiple threads to connect to the databases, but let the library
export a blocking single-threaded API. So, PHP calls a function in the
library, this function spawns new threads, which do the real work. Meanwhile
the function waits for the threads to finish, and when all threads are done
it returns the final result back to PHP.
- Use a single thread and asynchronous socket communication. So, PHP calls
the library function and this function handles all connections within the
same thread using asynchronous communication, and returns the result to PHP
when all communication is completed.
- Use a daemon on the localhost. Make a connection from PHP to the daemon,
the daemon handles all the connections to the databases and passes the
result back to the connection made from PHP.

Can someone give me some advise about advantages of using one approach or
another? Please keep in mind that I'm hoping for a solution which will be
both stable and minimizes overhead.

Thanks,
Arend.

-- 
Arend van Beelen jr.
"If you want my address, it's number one at the end of the bar."

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