Chosing repository for production MySQL 5.5 and later

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I am little confusing about which MySQL to use for production on RHEL 6.x when upgrading from MySQL 5.1 to 5.5 or later for some application for optimal functionality:
1. MySQL 5.1 is included in regular repository in RHEL 6.x.
2. What is better for production: use Software Collection and Developer Tools (RHSCL) repository (it's little more complicated to use and this is software for development, not production, right?) or switch to MySQL Community Edition repository for RHEL from Oracle?
3. Another question is about 'drop-in replacement for MySQL' which is MariaDB (now in RHEL repository too). What is difference between MariaDB and MySQL Community Edition? First is 'community developed drop-in replacement' of 'Community Edition' of MySQL.

Thanks for you help!

Responses

Hi Sergey,

The RHSCL versions of both MySQL and MariaDB are fully supported for production use by Red Hat (though the lifecycle is shorter than with regular RHEL releases). In fact, the RHSCL version of MySQL is the recommended one to use on RHEL6.

The installation process is pretty straightforward. Please, see the RHSCL Release Notes for detailed instructions on how to get access to the software and install it (sections Getting Access to Red Hat Software Collections and Installing Red Hat Software Collections).

The difference between MariaDB and MySQL is described in detail at https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/mariadb-vs-mysql-features/. A short version is:

  1. MariaDB is a free-software fork of MySQL, which was acquired by Oracle;
  2. MariaDB has more features;
  3. MySQL offers the InnoDB engine, MariaDB does not, but it has XtraDB as a drop-in replacement;
  4. MariaDB is backwards compatible with MySQL;
  5. MariaDB is a binary replacement as well (the executable's name is the same).
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