[ec2] Best practice for setting up MySQL on ubuntu?

[Eric Hammond]

Lucas:

Here's the tutorial I wrote about using MySQL on EBS:

  http://ec2ebs-mysql.notlong.com

You don't need to use LVM with EBS since EBS has its own very good snapshot feature which is integrated with the EBS volumes and with S3.  The tutorial walks through creating a consistent snapshot, creating a new volume from the snapshot, and attaching the copy to a second EC2 instance running MySQL.

Some people do add LVM into the mix so they can grow a file system in real time by adding more underlying EBS volumes.  It adds a bit of complexity, especially with getting consistent snapshots of multiple volumes and with putting together new sets of volumes from those snapshots.

It is still possible to grow an EBS file system without LVM if you're willing to have a short amount of downtime, probably in the seconds range if done right. (If folks are interested in how to do this, let me know).

The other reason folks use LVM with EBS is to enable suspending the file system during an EBS snapshot if they are using ext3.  With EBS I generally recommend using XFS instead of ext3 as it provides an integrated file system freeze and works better on RAIDs of EBS volumes if you get to need that for peformance.  The tutorial demonstrates with XFS.

The sample snapshot driver script linked to from the above tutorial works for simple setups, but I have rewritten and enhanced the software dramatically over the last year based on many conditions and interactions we found in real world production use.

I will be publishing the updated snapshot program as open source, and in the meantime am providing private preview copies to anybody who would like to test it in their own environment.

--
Eric Hammond


-----Original Message-----
From: Lucas Gates <lucasbgates at yahoo.com>
Date: Friday, Aug 21, 2009 11:05 am
Subject: [ec2] Best practice for setting up MySQL on ubuntu?
To: ec2 at lists.ubuntu.com

Hi, 
>
>Some time ago I read on this list that someone was working on a tutorial or script that would make backups of mysql databases via EBS. I believe the solution involved LVM volumes and snapshots. Does anyone know if that is available to the public yet?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Regards,
>Lucas Gates
>
>