I think many here is misunderstanding what was likely meant: postgresql was not able to use all the available CPU under this situation, in that it was oscillating from 10% to 70% CPU use. That 40% average cpu use isn't an asset on a dedicated database server: it just means that the other 60% of available cycles are a perishable resource that are immediately spoiling.
In that sense, you want to be able to have your database be able to use all the resources available: all the IOPS, all the CPU cycles, etc.
And, of course, the real thing is the amount of work you get done: this thing does more work-- partially by using more CPU cycles, and partially by doing more work per CPU cycle.
In that sense, you want to be able to have your database be able to use all the resources available: all the IOPS, all the CPU cycles, etc.
And, of course, the real thing is the amount of work you get done: this thing does more work-- partially by using more CPU cycles, and partially by doing more work per CPU cycle.