MySQL continues to advance it's database server into areas only held by the expensive elite. A particular function of MySQL, replication, has been around a while but is growing in sophistication with the release of MySQL 5.0. What exactly is replication and how can I benefit?....
MySQL replication is a master database with slave databases attached to it. When you enter data into the master database, the information is replicated to the slave database servers. Your slave database servers not only act as backups to your databases, it also allows you to have a cluster of MySQL databases across a network, whether internally or externally. So, if your master database server goes down for some reason, the slaves can act as backups.
What does this all mean?? You can have a content management system hosted in several different geographical sites, the master server will pass on changes in the CMS to your remote slave sites. This creates a hosted CMS with built-in 24/7 uptime from slave database redundancy!
Ok well, how can I be assured the information entered into the slave database server isn't hijacked over the internet and replaced with something else? MySQL allows you to use SSL encryption for replication. In other words, signed certificates are used to verify it's the correct server, information is sent encrypted over the internet. Your data is protected!
Is the replication easy to manage? MySQL allows you to become granular in maintaining replication. You can specifically choose databases and tables you want replicated. For instance with Xaraya, data is gathered unique to the geographical site, such as browser identification, cookies etc. Tables unique to the geographical site can be ommitted from replication.
Additionally, MySQL is becoming fancy about the databases switching roles between master and slave and having multiple master scenarios. Contact us if your interested in 24/7 Uptime for your hosting needs.
