storage engine

Switching from MySQL/MyISAM to Galera Cluster requires that all tables (except those from the mysql, information_schema and performance_schema) are using the InnoDB Storage Engine.

For altering the Storage Engine of the tables we wrote a script (alter_engine.pl) long time ago already. Because we have made many of those switches recently we have extended its functionality.

In the old days everything was simpler. We had one maker of our favourite database management system and possibly the choice between different Storage Engines. Mostly the decision has to be taken between MyISAM and InnoDB. When you care about your data integrity you have chosen InnoDB.

Nowadays it is more complex. We have several different makers of our favourite database management system: Oracle/MySQL, Monty Program AB and Percona with their products: MySQL, MariaDB and Percona Server.

Introduction

In a round-robin database (RRD) usually time-series data like network bandwidth, temperatures, CPU load etc. is stored. The data is stored in the way that system storage footprint remains constant over time. This avoids resource expensive purge jobs and reduces complexity.

MySQL does NOT yet provide this kind of storage engine. Although some people were thinking about and some prototypes exists.

One of the big advantages of MySQL is its concept of pluggable Storage Engines (SE). This means you can choose the most optimal storage engine for your needs. This also has a disadvantage: You have to know what you are doing...

More details you can find here: MySQL pluggable Storage Engines (SE).