MySQL and MariaDB: consulting, Galera Cluster and operations
MySQL and MariaDB power many online shops, portals and internal applications, often for years and with a configuration that grew along the way. Sortia Labs brings such setups up to date: replication or Galera Cluster for higher availability, faster queries and well-prepared version upgrades. Our own websites currently run on MySQL too.
- MySQL consulting
- MariaDB support
- Galera Cluster
- MySQL replication
- ProxySQL
- MySQL 8.4
- ApplicationPHP, Java, Python
- MySQL or MariaDBSettings and indexes
- Galera clusterSeveral nodes
- BackupTested regularly
What we do for MySQL and MariaDB
Galera and Percona XtraDB Cluster
Every write is replicated to all nodes before it commits; if one node fails, the majority carries on. We plan node count, network and quorum, and show in advance which queries behave differently in a cluster.
Classic replication
A primary with replicas for reads, reports and backups, with GTID for clean switch-overs and semi-synchronous acknowledgement, which narrows the window in which committed transactions can be lost on failover.
ProxySQL in front of the database
ProxySQL splits reads from writes, absorbs connection spikes and redirects traffic to the new primary after a failover, without the application having to know any new addresses.
Slow queries
The slow query log, Performance Schema and Percona Toolkit show which queries create the load. Often a suitable index, a rewritten query or an InnoDB buffer pool sized for your data makes the difference.
Upgrades and switching
From MySQL 5.7 or 8.0 to 8.4, from MySQL to MariaDB or back: we check character sets, SQL modes, authentication and deprecated features, and test against a copy of your production data.
From an organically grown setup to planned operations
- 1
Current state
Version, storage engine, configuration, replication and backups: we document what has accumulated over the years and find tables still running on MyISAM or old character sets.
- 2
Target design
Single server with a replica, Galera Cluster or a managed cloud service: we recommend what fits your load and your team, with effort and running costs.
- 3
Implementation
New servers are built alongside the old ones and kept current through replication. We switch over once data and queries have been verified on the new setup.
Questions about MySQL and MariaDB
MySQL or MariaDB: what is the difference?
Both come from the same code base but have been drifting apart for more than ten years. GTID replication, the JSON data type, the optimiser and some functions work differently. Switching is therefore a small migration with tests, not just a different package. Which one fits depends on your application and your Linux distribution.
When is a Galera Cluster worth it?
When the outage of one server noticeably costs revenue or work and the write load is moderate. Galera needs at least three nodes, or two plus the Galera Arbitrator, a low-latency network and InnoDB tables with primary keys. With many concurrent changes to the same rows, classic replication with failover is often the better choice.
MySQL 8.0 no longer gets updates. What now?
Updates for MySQL 8.0 ended in April 2026; the long-term support successor is MySQL 8.4. Some cloud providers have their own deadlines. The jump is smaller than the one from 5.7 to 8.0 but still needs testing: several defaults have changed, and the old mysql_native_password authentication is disabled by default.
Read on.
Let us bring your MySQL up to date.
Tell us which version runs, how the servers are set up and what is slowing you down. We come back with an assessment and the questions to settle before any rebuild.