Archive for andrew

| April 21, 2009
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Enhanced MySQL Cluster Evaluation White Paper

As part of MySQL Cluster 7.0, an existing white paper has been brought up to date and extended. If you’re considering evaluating MySQL Cluster or are in the process of an evaluation then I’d strongly recommend reading this paper. Even if you haven’t got that far in your database evaluation, it’s worth taking a look as it describes both where the database excels and situations where it may be less suitable or where extra attention would be needed.

The MySQL Cluster Evaluation Guide can be downloaded from the mysql.com site.

MySQL Cluster Architecture

MySQL Cluster Architecture

The purpose of the guide is to present several key points to consider during the planning and execution of an evaluation of MySQL Cluster and MySQL Cluster Carrier Grade Edition. This will enable you to efficiently evaluate MySQL Cluster and determine if it is the right choice for your new project, or database migration for an existing application.

One of the enhancements made in the new version is a trouble shooting section that describes the errors you may see when ramping up the size or transaction rates for your database and what to do to remove them.





Category: MySQL Cluster | Tags: , , ,
| April 21, 2009
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MySQL Cluster 7.0 Launched

MySQL (part of Sun Microsystems) have just announced the release of MySQL Cluster 7.0. This is a major new version of the database.

The highlights of the release (as well as an overview of the MySQL Cluster architecture) have been published in a new white paper: MySQL Cluster 7.0: Architecture and New Features.

For those in a rush, here are the highlights of the highlights:

  • Multi-threaded data nodes. Could previously exploit up to 2 cores/CPUs/threads for a single data node. This is extended to 8 cores by introducing a multi-threaded version of the ndb process. This delivers a very significant performance improvement if running on a host with more than  a dual core.
  • On-line add node. The ability to add a new node group to an in-service Cluster without impacting service. Includes the ability to repartition the data in existing tables after the new node group has been added.
On-Line Add Node

On-Line Add Node

  • Carrier-Grade directory back end. Support for using MySQL Cluster as the data store for a directory server. Allows LDAP access to your data. OpenLDAP will be the first directory to release a driver for this.
  • Multi-Threaded Disk Data File Access. Improves the performance for disk-based table data.
  • Improved large record handling. Performance/network bandwidth improvements.
  • Alpha version of a Windows port. Intended for development use only, not for deployment.
  • Snapshot option for backups. Option to have the backup represent the state of the database at the point that the backup was started rather than when it finished. This lets you synchronise it with other, external events such as the  backing up of other databases.
  • Caching of configuration data. When a node restarts, it will only adopt any changes to the config files if explicitly told to – avoiding the situation where one node restarts and ends up with different config data to the others.
  • Transactions for schema changes. Safer way to update the schema that can tolerate node failures mid-operation.




Category: MySQL Cluster | Tags: , ,
| April 20, 2009
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“Guide to Deploying Carrier Grade Services Using Open Source Technologies” – New White Paper Released

A new white paper has just been released on mysql.com at http://www.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql_wp_cluster_deploy_opencge.php

Open Source Carrier Grade hardware and software stack

Open Source Carrier Grade hardware and software stack

Abstract:

Open source technologies and commodity, carrier-grade hardware can combine to create a highly available, scalable and responsive infrastructure to deploy next-generation communications services. This paper examines a solution stack based on integrating Sun GlassFish Communications Server, MySQL Cluster Carrier Grade Edition database, the OpenSolaris operating system, Sun Netra ATCA blades and Sun open storage products into a carrier-grade solution for converged services – without the traditionally high carrier-grade price.





Category: MySQL Cluster | Tags: , , , , , ,
| April 8, 2009
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Introduction

Just a quick introduction to begin with.

Me with my kids

I joined Sun Microsystems in Feb 2009 to look after the product management for MySQL Cluster and MySQL replication.

I started my career with Nortel (technically BNR which was the R&D arm of Northern Telecom but everything later got merged and rebranded as Nortel). I was responsible for writing the original proprietary, in-memory database for Nortel’s HLR product. Later on, we used a number of 3rd party databases for the HLR (provisioning rather than real-time) and then HSS – starting with Oracle for the HLR and then SOLID but then settling on MySQL Cluster as the scaleable real-time database for the HSS.

When I left Nortel (via an IBM rebadging) I moved to Sun, hoping to use my experience as a MySQL Cluster customer to help the team build upon their strong product.

So far, so good – I’ve been really impressed both with the MySQL team and with how well the product is doing both with telco companies and others.

I’m planning on using this blog to publish technical content, publicise product information as well as anything else that crops up.





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