In this blog, we continue from where we left off in the previous post, InnoDB Cluster Setup: Building a 3-Node High Availability Architecture, where we demonstrated how to set up a MySQL InnoDB Cluster with three nodes to achieve high availability. Here, we walk through the step-by-step process of performing a rolling upgrade of that […]

Setting up an InnoDB Cluster requires three key components: Group Replication, MySQL Shell, and MySQL Router. In the previous post, we covered the process of building a 3-node InnoDB Cluster. In this post, we shift our focus to configuring MySQL Router and validating failover functionality. Environment overview We are using three InnoDB Cluster nodes along […]

In this blog post, we will describe typical usage scenarios for dictionary operations in the Data Masking Component, which is available in Percona Server for MySQL as an open source alternative to Oracle’s enterprise version. In particular, we will consider the following functions. gen_dictionary() – a function that returns a random term from a dictionary. gen_blocklist() – […]

Modern applications need to be highly available and easy to scale. A three-node MySQL InnoDB Cluster—built on MySQL Group Replication and connected through MySQL Router—provides a reliable way to support critical workloads. To set up this architecture, you start by deploying three MySQL server instances. In this example, the nodes are assigned the following hostname-to-IP […]

Innodb Cluster or ClusterSet topologies already have secondary instances that can act as a failover for primary or also offload read requests. However, with MySQL 8.4, we now have the feasibility of adding a separate async replica to the cluster for serving various special/ad-hoc queries or some reporting purposes. This will also help offload read traffic away […]

In Percona Server for MySQL 8.0.41 / 8.4.4, we significantly re-designed the Data Masking Component. In particular, we made the following changes: Changed the user on behalf of whom we execute internal queries for dictionary operations. Introduced an in-memory dictionary term cache that allows significant speed-up of dictionary operations. Introduced masking_dictionaries_flush() User Defined Function. Introduced […]

When performing backups, reducing the amount of time your server is locked can significantly improve performance and minimize disruptions. Percona XtraBackup 8.4 Pro introduces improvements in how DDL (Data Definition Language) locks (aka Backup Locks) are managed, allowing for reduced locking during backups. In this post, we’ll explore the impact of these enhancements. TL;DR (Summary) […]

MySQL databases serve as the foundation of countless applications, powering everything from simple blogs to massive enterprise platforms. But as these applications evolve and user bases expand, MySQL performance issues tend to pop up and ensuring smooth database performance becomes crucial. Fast queries mean happy users, while sluggish performance can lead to frustration and lost […]

In this blog, we will look at the differences between LTS (Long Term Stable) versions of Percona Server for MySQL. Released in April 2019, MySQL 8.0 represented a major change from the previous version, 5.7, introducing significant changes to the data dictionary and enabling many features and enhancements. It also provided no direct downgrade path, […]

This blog was originally published in June 2020 and was updated in March 2025. One of the most common support tickets we get at Percona is the infamous “database is running slower” ticket.  While this can be caused by a multitude of factors, it is more often than not caused by a bad or slow […]