[Mageia-dev] Replacing mysql with mariadb

Thu Dec 1 09:05:00 CET 2011

Hi,
+
+in order to get more testing (mariadb is in core/updates_testing), i've 
+decided to submit to cauldron core/release, 
+however there lies a problem:
+
+Since everything is almost exact with mysql, same files and such, there are 
+some library conflicts which would present always a choice if we want both 
+mysql and mariadb (in particular libmysqlclient.so.X). Since we also want this 
+really used at build/link time one of both versions should be used.
+
+considering that mariadb mysql client works perfectly for both mysql and 
+mariadb. and that mysql mysql-client may not work perfectly for local servers 
+due to the my.cnf file being used for both client and server (mysql client is 
+supported for remote mariadb servers), I'd like to use the mariadb client 
+packages.
+
+The way I see it, there are 2 possibilities:
+A. I remove the mysql-client, libmysqlclient, mysql-common and assorted 
+packages from mysql, and provide them with mariadb, since libmysqlclient is 
+drop-in replacable (same library ABI and such), there is not 100% requirement 
+of rebuilding all libmysqlclient dependant programs.
+
+advantages:
+ - both mariadb and mysql servers are present, people can choose
+disadvantages:
+ - more QA
+ - more work for me
+
+B. We drop mysql completely and submit mariadb
+
+advantages:
+ - less work for me
+ - less work for QA
+disadvantages:
+ - mysql is completely gone.
+
+I already posted this on the mariadb testing thread, but got little response, 
+So i plan to go with B really. because that'll give the best testing and if 
+mariadb isn't good enough, we can still modify mariadb and resubmit mysql. B 
+will have the best upgrade test (like for mga1 --> mga2)
+
+For more information regarding this, please read completely the mariadb 
+testing thread: 
+http://www.mail-archive.com/mageia-dev@mageia.org/msg09282.html
+
+Some more bordering information:
+ - mariadb has XtraDB, which is essentially a patched InnoDB (it also supplies 
+an exact vanilla InnoDB as a plugin)
+ - mariadb still has myISAM support
+ - mariadb has as a default storage engine Aria (which can be used either as 
+transactional and as non-transactional)
+ - the files are exactly the same as mysql, it's still mysqld, mysql for client 
+so upgrading issues should be minimal, but still tested, of course.
+
+so please, test mariadb, build stuff against lib64mariadbclient18
+