MySQL 5.6 is probably the version of MySQL with the biggest bundle of new features. You may want to try it soon, since it's now released as GA, and I would like to offer some practical experience on how to use some of the advanced features.
Since replication is my main interest, I will focus on some of the new features in this field, and I will compare what's available in MySQL 5.6 with Tungsten Replicator.
The focus of the comparison is usability, manageability, and some hidden functionality. Parallel replication has been available with Tungsten Replicator for almost two years, and Global Transaction Identifiers for much longer than that. With MySQL 5.6, it seems that the MySQL team wants to close the gap. While the main feature (parallel execution threads) is available and performing well, there are some shocking differences in terms of ease of use, administration …
[Read more]