A Performance Benchmark for the PostgreSQL and MySQL Databases

Abstract

This study highlights the necessity for efficient database management in continuous authentication systems, which rely on large-scale behavioral biometric data such as keystroke patterns. A benchmarking framework was developed to evaluate the PostgreSQL and MySQL databases, minimizing repetitive coding through configurable functions and variables. The methodology involved experiments assessing select and insert queries under primary and complex conditions, simulating real-world scenarios. Our quantified results show PostgreSQL’s superior performance in select operations. In primary tests, PostgreSQL’s execution time for 1 million records ranged from 0.6 ms to 0.8 ms, while MySQL’s ranged from 9 ms to 12 ms, indicating that PostgreSQL is about 13 times faster. For select queries with a where clause, PostgreSQL required 0.09 ms to 0.13 ms compared to MySQL’s 0.9 ms to 1 ms, making it roughly 9 times more efficient. Insert operations were similar, with PostgreSQL at 0.0007 ms to 0.0014 ms and MySQL at 0.0010 ms to 0.0030 ms. In complex experiments with simultaneous operations, PostgreSQL maintained stable performance (0.7 ms to 0.9 ms for select queries during inserts), while MySQL’s performance degraded significantly (7 ms to 13 ms). These findings underscore PostgreSQL’s suitability for environments requiring low data latency and robust concurrent processing capabilities, making it ideal for continuous authentication systems.