MySQL is the most popular open-source database and is also known for its easy set up feature. However, proper configuration beyond the default settings still is a challenge, along with some other day-to-day maintenance tasks such as backing up and restoring, performance tuning, and server monitoring. These tasks have not been covered thoroughly in the default documentation.

This book provides both step-by-step recipes and relevant background information on these topics and more. It covers everything from basic to advanced aspects of MySQL administration and configuration. One of the things you are really going to love about this book is that all recipes are based on real-world experience and were derived from proven solutions used in an enterprise environment.

This book shows you everything you need to know about MySQL Administration. You will learn to set up MySQL replication to manage load balancing and deal with online backup and fail-over scenarios. As you consider the benefits of backing up, you might like to back up your database efficiently with advanced techniques covered in this book.

The book demonstrates how to create, modify, and delete indexes. You will also learn to identify duplicate indexes, which hinder your MySQL server performance. This book focuses on administration tasks and will help you as an administrator to optimize the database for efficiency and reliability.

You will learn to manage data efficiently by inserting data in existing database content and importing and exporting databases. The sooner you learn about taking advantage of metadata from this book, the sooner you can start using the space efficiently. Get to know about managing users and assigning privileges and regaining lost administrative user credentials. Finally, learn to manage the database schema by customizing it to automate database schema evolution in the context of application updates.

What you will learn from this book

• Set up MySQL replication to manage load balancing, online back up, and fail-over scenarios
• Create, modify, and delete indexes; also identify duplicate indexes to optimize your MySQL servers' performance
• Leverage the power of MySQL Administrator, Query Browser GUI Tools, and the MySQL command line client
• Back up your database and restore the data efficiently and reliably with advanced techniques such as on-the-fly compression, point-in-time recovery, avoiding extended lock situations, backup in replication scenarios, and partial backup and restore.
• Manage data by deleting data in a highly efficient manner, inserting data based on existing database content, and importing and exporting data in a customizable manner
• Monitor table space usage and use database metadata to your advantage
• Deal with typical performance bottlenecks and lock-contention problems
• Configure MySQL and leverage available settings to their full potential
• Manage MySQL user accounts and assign appropriate privileges
• Restrict access sensibly and regain access to your database in case of loss of administrative user credentials
• Manage the schema by adding and removing columns from tables, choosing a suitable storage engine and character set for individual needs
• Add a new primary key column to a table already filled with data and also manage and automate database schema evolution in the context of application updates

Approach

This book uses the approach of a cookbook, presenting solutions to problems in the form of recipes. Each recipe provides the reader with easy step-by-step descriptions of the actions necessary to accomplish a specific task. Example values and code samples are used throughout the recipes, which makes adaptation for individual needs easy

Administrators of all skill-levels will find step-by-step instructions for practical approaches to MySQL configuration, maintenance, and optimization topics. Each recipe uses a concrete example for easy understanding.

Who this book is written for

This book is for ambitious MySQL users as well as professional data center database administrators. Beginners as well as experienced administrators will profit from this cookbook and get fresh ideas to improve their MySQL environments. Detailed background information will enable them to widen their MySQL horizon.

It does not cover SQL basics, how to install MySQL servers, or how to design a relational database schema. Readers are expected to have a basic understanding of the SQL language and database concepts in general.