Pg Raster Storage Models

PGRaster is intended to store raster data within a PostgreSQL relational database that uses the PostGIS extensions. The following are some possible storage models:

• LO - Use PostgreSQL large object to hold raster data.

• TOAST - Use PostgreSQL bytea data type to hold raster data

For each table that has a "toastable" data type, PostgreSQL automatically creates an associated toast table, which can hold large data value out-of-line from the main table. PostgreSQL automatically manages toast tables, creating and destroying them as needed without any special effort by the table's user.

• Multitable - Define a set of canonical table structures that work together to store the raster data and its metadata.

The PGRaster type is used effectively as a key into the raster tables. This approach is more along the lines of Oracle's SDO_RASTER data type.