Percona toolkit 2.0.2 is now available on Dotdeb for :

• both Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and Debian 5.0 “Lenny”
• both amd64 and i386 architectures

• the mysql-common package, in its 5.5.19+ version, “breaks”  mysql-server-5.1 and mysql-client-5.1 (as APT means it – it won’t actually break your server into pieces). Freezing it will prevent any issue (the introduction of unknown configuration variables in their /etc/mysql/my.cnf, for example)
• the MySQL client now uses the system’s readline library instead of the bundled editline wrapper
• missing header files and libraries are now included in the appropriate packages

As usual, please read the full Changelog carefully before upgrading.

As usual, please read the full Changelog carefully before upgrading.

Please also note that Oracle now provides .deb packages on their download page. That’s a great thing, but they’ll have to be improved :

• no repository is available to ease the future updates
• they’re monolythic and do not separate libraries from headers or binaries, configuration from server or client.
• they do not take care of the official Debian naming convention

Focusing on compatibility with previous and future official Debian packages of MySQL, Dotdeb’s ones are based on the great work provided by the official Debian maintainers. Many thanks to them! I really hope that MySQL 5.5 will be part of Debian Sid soon.

Here are the main changes and benefits from MySQL 5.5, from the user point of view :

• a recent InnoDB as default storage engine (replacing MyISAM),
• the performance schema,
• the semisynchronous replication,
• the pluggable authentication,
• better performances…

First of all, please read carefully the full list of changes in MySQL 5.5 and the migration guide to MySQL 5.5 before any further move.

I also strongly advise you to test these new packages by upgrading your development servers first, then to backup your whole databases before considering your production servers. Dotdeb is not responsible for any damage or loss of data.

Here are some more important considerations :

• Both MySQL 5.5 and MySQL 5.1 are available on the main Dotdeb repository, respectively named mysql-server-5.5 and mysql-server-5.1… mysql-server is just a meta-package depending on the most recent version (5.5).
• Even if you stick to mysql-server-5.1, the mysql-common package will be upgraded to version 5.5.17. It’s no big deal, just comment the lc-messages-dir setting in /etc/mysql/my.cnf or your MySQL 5.1 server will fail to start.
• Providing a fork of Oracle’s MySQL Server, such as Percona Server or MariaDB, is something I’d like to do, but it requires a lot of work.
• If you’re using the Pinba storage engine, you should still stick to MySQL 5.1. The switch to MySQL 5.5 will be possible later.
• There’s no plan to release these packages neither for Debian 5.0 “Lenny” nor for Ubuntu. Sorry.

I really hope you’ll enjoy this major MySQL release.

Or should I say “Maatkit was…”. In fact, it’s now known as “Percona Toolkit” and it’s available on Dotdeb for both Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and 5.0 “Lenny”.

Enjoy.

• for Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and Debian 5.0 “Lenny”
• for the amd64 and i386 architectures

The corresponding Pinba storage engine has also been rebuilt (Squeeze only).

And, as usual, please read the Changelog of this maintainance release before upgrading.

• for Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and Debian 5.0 “Lenny”
• for the amd64 and i386 architectures

The corresponding Pinba storage engine has also been rebuilt (Squeeze only).

And, as usual, please read the Changelog of this maintainance release before upgrading.

MySQL 5.1.56 packages are now available on Dotdeb :

• for Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and Debian 5.0 “Lenny”
• for the amd64 and i386 architectures

Of course, the corresponding Pinba storage engine has been rebuilt (Squeeze only). But take care to the plugin-load directive in your /etc/mysql/my.cnf file : MySQL does not support several plugin-load directives and always keep the last read. Then if you want, for example, use the Pinba storage engine while having the the InnoDB plugin loaded, you should uncomment the following line.

plugin-load=innodb=ha_innodb_plugin.so;libpinba_engine.so

And, as usual, please read the Changelog of this maintainance release before upgrading.

• for Debian 6.0 “Squeeze” and Debian 5.0 “Lenny”
• for the amd64 and i386 architectures

As usual, please read the Changelog of this maintainance release before upgrading.

Note 1 : the Pinba storage engine for MySQL has been rebuilt against MySQL 5.1.55 (Squeeze only)
Note 2 : Maatkit has been updated to 7284
Note 3 : if you had issues with loading the InnoDB plugin on Squeeze, your feedback is welcome (post a comment below).

MySQL 5.1.54 packages are now available on Dotdeb in amd64/i386 flavours for Lenny and Squeeze.

As usual, please read the Changelog of this maintainance release before upgrading.

Now, about MySQL 5.5 (I was asked on Twitter or in the comments here), it will be available on Dotdeb as soon as it is in Debian Sid or experimental. Please be patient. If you don’t need some 5.5 specific features, such as semi-sync replication, and if you just need to boost your InnoDB performances, you really should take a look at your /etc/mysql/my.cnf file and enable the InnoDB plugin.