Background/Async Query Execution with File Storage #168
Description
Problem Statement
In large-scale Moodle installations with extensive databases, many custom SQL queries take a very long time to execute, often exceeding PHP execution time limits and causing timeouts.
Current limitations:
- Long-running queries fail due to timeout constraints when executed synchronously
- The existing customdir workaround requires direct filesystem access
- In managed hosting environments where filesystem access is restricted to operations teams, this creates:
- Unnecessary operational overhead
- Delays in accessing query results
- Additional coordination between teams
Proposed Solution
Implement background/asynchronous query execution with integrated file storage, allowing:
- Queueing long-running queries for background execution via adhoc tasks
- Storing results in Moodle's file storage (file API) instead of requiring direct filesystem access
- User notifications when query execution completes or fails
- Execution history and management through a dedicated interface
Use Case
Scenario: A instance has e.g. more than 500,000+ students and needs to run complex enrollment reports that take 5-15 minutes to execute.