Where do temporary tables get stored in a GreenPlum database?

Question

In MS SQL Server Temporary tables are stored in tempdb Database.

Is there a similar special place in GreenPlum for temporary tables? Or is a temp table just stored in the current database & schema under which I do normal transactions?

Answer 1

Temporary tables in Greenplum are stored in the database in which they were created, but in a temporary schema which lives for the duration of the session which created the table.

i.e.

[gpadmin@mdw:~] $ createdb temp
[gpadmin@mdw:~] $ psql temp
temp=# create temporary table test_temp(a int) distributed by (a);
CREATE TABLE
    Time: 50.516 ms
    temp=# \d
                     List of relations
       Schema   |   Name    | Type  |  Owner  | Storage
    ------------+-----------+-------+---------+---------
     pg_temp_11 | test_temp | table | gpadmin | heap
    (1 row)

temp=# \dn
       List of schemas
        Name        |  Owner
--------------------+---------
 gp_toolkit         | gpadmin
 information_schema | gpadmin
 pg_aoseg           | gpadmin
 pg_bitmapindex     | gpadmin
 pg_catalog         | gpadmin
 pg_temp_11         | gpadmin
 pg_toast           | gpadmin
 pg_toast_temp_11   | gpadmin
 public             | gpadmin
(9 rows)

temp=#

temp=# \q

[gpadmin@mdw:~] $ psql temp
Timing is on.
psql (8.3.23)
Type "help" for help.

temp=# \d
No relations found.
temp=# \dn
       List of schemas
        Name        |  Owner
--------------------+---------
 gp_toolkit         | gpadmin
 information_schema | gpadmin
 pg_aoseg           | gpadmin
 pg_bitmapindex     | gpadmin
 pg_catalog         | gpadmin
 pg_toast           | gpadmin
 public             | gpadmin
(7 rows)

temp=#

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