For a long time I though the AutoMySQLBackup project had died.  Then, after I created many updates, in November of last year I saw some life. Meanwhile, I have continued to update the code and track what people have requested.   Low volume project are sometimes hard to keep alive. People think the project is dead and don’t want to use code that will not see updates.  Then if you make updates the authors may not come alive often enough to make the changes.

I have updated AutoMySQLBackup again. This time I have included the ability to make backups at the table level by including the table name, with the database name, in the list of databases to be backed up.  Adding a ‘.’ between the database name and the table name (data.table) will backup only that table in the database.  (IE DBNAME=”mysql test database.table”)

…

WHAT TIME IS IT?

This post started with a simple question: “Does the function NOW() get executed every time a row is examined?” According to the manual,  “Functions that return the current date or time each are evaluated only once per query …. multiple references to a function such as NOW() … produce the same result. …. (However,) as of MySQL 5.0.12, SYSDATE() returns the time (the row is) executes. “

• CURDATE() returns the current date.
• CURTIME() returns the current time.
• UTC_DATE() returns the current UTC date.
• UTC_TIME() returns the current UTC time.
• NOW() return the current date and time.
• UTC_TIMESTAMP() returns the current UTC date and time.
• SYSDATE() returns the date and …

HandlerSocket is cool. But, it turns out there are a few issues.

Justin Swanhart points out HandlerSocket currently lacks atomic operations . Since HandlerSocket uses different connections for reading and writing, you can’t increment/decrement a value without creating a race condition.

Still, the idea of skipping SQL interpretation and just reading the data you know you want is a great one.  Writing data might even be better. But being able to use both SQL and NoSQL could be really wonderful.  What if we could use complex queries to update complex tables and pluck values out as needed.  For example, queries to analyze current weather conditions and produce forecasts that we could then retrieve via a location key? What about updating current condition data …

In my last post I installed the HandlerSocket plugin into MariaDB and tested it.  Like the last post these examples are done with Linux CentOS 5.5.

HandlerSocket some with Perl code for the Net:: module group. When you build and install the HandlerSocket plugin it does not build the Perl module. I looked and it is not included in CPAN.

If you have already downloaded (git) and installed the plugin, you can install the Perl module by:

cd perl-Net-HandlerSocket
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install

Most of the sample apps I’ve found do little more the prove it works.  I found the protocol (API) is very simple.  This makes it fast but may give you some trouble coding for it.  I created test table and my own version of the example code.

CREATE TABLE `user` (
 `user_id` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL,
 `user_name` varchar(50),
 `user_email` …

There have been a few great blog posts recently from MySQL bloggers about Postgres, and vice versa, with good comments and follow-on from the real experts in both systems. I think this is wonderful. Learning how other databases solve hard problems is highly educational, especially because ACID databases face some of the hardest problems in computing. Making MySQL better is good for PostgreSQL. The reverse is just as true. And we should also be learning from SQLite, and CouchDB, and others who have overcome tough technical hurdles, built successful companies, created thriving and enthusiastic communities, or whatever their success has been.

Related posts:

1. Postgres folks, consider the 2011 MySQL conference
2. …

Web Operations - Keeping the Data On Time

ByJohn Allspaw, Jesse Robbins

Publisher:O’Reilly Media

Released:June 2010

This is simply the best book on running a commercial web services I have ever read.  Lots of texts cover parts and pieces of the what it takes from to manage a website. They will tell you how to configure Apache or how to load balance web traffic.  This book covers every aspect from developing and managing code development to scaling database services.   This is truly a must read!

I’ve developed code for what is now Telaflora.com. I’ve managed servers for Herta.com and now I’m managing the databases for WDTinc.com so I …

VIEWING THE DATA

You’ve seen in the last few postings how to find, import and use GIS data with MySQL. But, the ‘G’ in geographical includes GRAPHIC and a little eye candy never hearts your understanding of the curves.

Everyone knows of  map.google.com.  Mark McClure has a great site explaining the use of Google’s APIs.  He explains how to generate interactive maps with labels for places and routes indicating driving directions. Many of Mark’s example explain exactly the sorts of things I’ve wanted to do with maps for years.  Like Cycling routes on Google Maps.

Using the GPS in my iPhone as a …

On DBA Survivor, Thomas LaRock blogged about “Finding a Good DBA“.  This is a reply.

I mostly agree what what LaRock said. Managers believe databases fall into the same category as email servers and domain name servers. System administrators are expected to take care of them all. And, having been a SysAdmin myself, I know as long as the thing is working they’re good.

I was also an application developer for a number of years as well. From that point of view, you are working as fast as you can while still trying to make your code run as fast as it can. You don’t have full access to the SQL servers. You might test a few different SQL queries to see witch is faster, but you can’t get access to the configuration files.  Asking the SysAdmin to change from RAID-5 to RAID-10 …

The “DATA”

“The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from.” – Grace Hopper

A Shape file is the most common format for GIS vector data and just about every GIS program can use them.  Unfortunately not all GIS data come in a shape file format. An E00 (E-zero-zero) file is the file format used by Environment Systems Research Institute’s (ESRI). ESRI is the Photoshop of the GIS workplace. E00 files are used by ArcInfo and ArcGIS Explorer.  These are the two most common file formats. …

MyTOP is a console-based (non-gui) tool for monitoring the threads and overall performance of a MySQL created by Jeremy Zawodny.

For months now I have been adding updates to mytop. When I started using version 1.6 it worked but didn’t return some data fields. After fixing these bugs I began to ideas for improvements. Here is a quick list of what I have done.

• New ‘!’ command to force fix replication errors.
• Display rows sorted per second.
• Added new ‘Cmd’ column to display the state of the query along with the statement.
• New ‘M’ command to change the [Mode] to ‘status’.  This was in the code but covered up by another command.

If you find any bugs or would like to see your own updates added …