February 17th, 2020
MySQL is a relational database management system that is used for many purposes, including but not limited to, e-commerce, content management systems (CMS), and various applications that require a database management system. Its most common use is for web applications. Here are a few reasons why you should be using it.
Designed With The Web In Mind
MySQL was optimized and designed for web applications. This is because the developers had in mind that there would always be new and different requirements for all kinds of applications throughout the internet. With this type of platform in mind, MySQL soon became the most highly used relational database management system for web-based applications.
Performance And Scalability
Two of MySQL’s most significant advantages are rapid response and scalability.
Response time for websites is paramount. In other words, a relational database management system must have extreme performance for both reading simple and complex queries and writing operations. This means that, no matter how many tasks there are to perform, no matter how many concurrent connections there are, or no matter the size of the database, it is always imperative that MySQL databases have a rapid response.
Databases often grow more significant than expected. By default, MySQL’s size limit is 256 TB for myd file with a 6-byte pointer size. The effective maximum table size for MySQL databases is usually determined by operating system constraints on file sizes, not by MySQL internal limits. This means that, where scalability comes to mind (databases growing or shrinking), the same critical performance for reading and writing is always in play.
Replication
Replication has been widely used to deliver extreme levels of database scalability. DBAs can quickly and easily create multiple replicas of their database to scale-out beyond the capacity constraints of a single instance, enabling them to serve rapidly growing database workloads.
Rapid Connection Handling
MySQL includes a specialized internal thread/connection cache that very quickly establishes incoming new connections and efficiently terminates existing connections upon request. The MySQL connection pool always has new threads at the ready to service new requests, so that no overhead is wasted on building new connections from scratch. This means that connecting to and disconnecting from the MySQL database does not incur any performance penalties.
Memory Usage
MySQL takes advantage of the size of memory to deliver the most maximum performance. In MySQL utilizes industry-standard data and index caches to keep often-referenced information in memory for fast access. It also offers specific additional features :
- MySQL offers main memory tables for speedy response times.
- MySQL Cluster provides the option to use main memory tables as part of a database schema.
- Main memory tables deliver higher speed than standard disk tables, even when the caches utilized by disk tables are “warm.”
- In addition to main memory tables, MySQL provides a query cache that is specially designed for modern Web-based applications that service repetitive queries asking for the same information.
- MySQL query cache stores not only the query sent from a client application but the computed result set as well. (Note this is radically different than a result set being reconstructed from raw data already in memory – the result set is not recomputed.) It’s easy to see why this unique type of cache can prove to be an invaluable aid to Web applications that must consistently service the same questions over and over again.
Reliability
Downtime experience can hurt any trusted hosting provider’s relationships with its customers. High availability for up-time is crucial for any website application. A customers’ website(s) need(s) to be up 24/7. MySQL uses many ways to ensure that the database is always available.
Moreover, MySQL ensures exceptional data security features. MySQL utilizes strong data encryption to prevent unauthorized viewing of data. SSH and SSL also ensure safer connections to the MySQL database. Lastly, data backup features provide timely recovery.
Conclusion
MySQL is, without a doubt, one of the best relational database management systems today. It provides high performance, scalability, rapid connection handling, reliability, and high security. Consider using MySQL for your web applications.
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