MySQL Performance Tips

It's no secret that data is one of the most valuable assets companies hold today, but many do not have a way to easily access and use the data they store. MySQL is a popular database application that stores and structures data to make it easily accessible, and it's entirely open-source.

Obviously, no such tool works perfectly straight out of the box.

Here are some of top performance tips for MySQL that you can use to improve the performance of MySQL for your databases.

Balance Hardware Resources

If you're on a quest to improve the performance of a MySQL database, the first thing you should do is take a step back and evaluate your storage method.

For instance, if you're using a hard disk drive (HDD), upgrading to solid-state drives (SSD) can offer immediate improvement.

From there, you can use sar or iotop from the sysstat tool set to monitor your disk input and output rates.

If disk usage is higher than other resource usages, you may need more storage and/or faster storage.

You should seek to strike a balance between storage and the three other primary resources, which are processor, memory, and network.

Don't Use Older Styles

MyISAM is a style for older databases used in some MySQL applications.

Not only is it dated, but it's less efficient overall. Instead, opt for the new InnoDB style, which has built-in optimization tools and more advanced features.  

InnoDB also utilizes a clustered index and its structure keeps data separated by pages, storing them in consecutive blocks.

ndexing for large values allows InnoDB to keep relevant data in one place on a storage device, reducing the time it takes a physical drive to access a large data set.

This feature, and others, make it ideal for any application.

Always Run The Latest Version

If you're using an older or legacy database, running the latest version of MySQL may not be feasible, but you should always try to stay up-to-date with the latest version when you can.

On-going development leads to improvements in many core areas, especially when it comes to enhancing the performance of your MySQL databases.

While on the topic of new versions, keep in mind that non-native adjustments to database performance can easily become obsolete when you upgrade to a new version.

It's always best to stick to native performance enhancements for MySQL rather than using configuration files and scripting to make changes.

Find an Automatic Tuning Tool

As is the case with all software, not every tool out there will work with every version of MySQL, but there are a handful of helpful tools you can try that will monitor your database and make recommendations to enhance performance.

Some of these tools include tuning-primer, which suggests setting changes to improve performance, along with MySQLTuner, which works in a similar manner.

Another one to try is phpMyAdmin Advisor which works directly within the interface of phpMyAdmin, making it a convenient choice if you're already using it.

Optimize Your Queries

When you make a request to search a database for a certain value, that's known as a query. There are a number of query operators that can help you fine-tune your request to get the most specific data possible, but running them takes time.

You can optimize the run times of your queries with certain techniques.

Performance tuning often comes down to simply detecting a query that's expected to have a long execution time.

Following the best practices of queries can help you greatly improve your database performance. You can also get in the habit of checking and terminating MySQL processes that may start stacking up.

Consider Your Server Configuration

Changing your /etc/mysql/my.cnf file requires caution as it can cause issues throughout your database, so it's best left to an expert.

However, altering some aspects of the server configuration can help you make the most of your MySQL databases.

The main elements to look to include the query_cache_size, max_connection, innodb_buffer_pool_size, and innodb_io_capacity.

Start the first variable with a small value and never increase it to more than 100 to 200MB.

The next sets a cap on how many connections are allowed to the database, so increasing this number can help if you're getting a "too many connections" error.

The third variable allocates system memory to data caching. For large amounts of data, consider increasing this value, but be aware of how much RAM is required for other system resources.

The last variable's values should be based on the type and speed of your storage drives, so adjust it to match your hardware.

Get More Out of MySQL

These MySQL performance tips are truly just the beginning.

If you're looking to enhance the performance of your databases, take the time to find tools to help you monitor and evaluate your databases and then get into the habit of following the best practices of querying and managing your data.

If you feel uncomfortable and uncertain on where to start improving the performance of MySQL for your database, feel free reaching out to us.

Adservio with professionalisms and its long experience in this field of expertise will take care on providing the needed assistance.