MariaDB is a fork of the MySQL database server, developed by Monty Widenius and originally released as open-source under the GPL license on September 26, 2003.
It was later forked again into MariaDB Server (formerly known as XtraDB) and MariaDB Community Edition (CE).
The name MariaDB comes from its use of the MariaDB FFoundation’s trademarked name.
If you want to know more about MariaDB and security updates for MariaDB, then read on!
What Is MariaDB?
MariaDB is an Open Source RDBMS that supports many SQL dialects including ANSI-SQL92, ISO/IEC 9075:1992, and SQL:1999.
It also includes some proprietary extensions such as full-text search, spatial functions, and JSON support.
How Does MariaDB Work?
MariaDB can be installed using either RPM or DEB packages. Once installed, it can be started with the service command. To start the daemon, you must first have root access to your system.
If not, you will need to install the MySQL-server package before starting the daemon.
What Can I Do With MariaDB?
You can run any application that uses MySQL. You can also create new databases, database tables, views, stored procedures, triggers, etc.
MariaDB has all the features of MySQL except for the ability to execute stored procedures.
Why Should I Use MariaDB?
There are several reasons why you should consider using MariaDB instead of MySQL.
MariaDB is Free!
The MariaDB foundation provides free versions of both MariaDB Server and MariaDB CE. These versions are fully compatible with each other and with commercial versions of MariaDB.
They include all the same functionality as their commercial counterparts but without the restrictions imposed by the commercial licenses.
MariaDB Is Faster Than MySQL
According to benchmarks conducted in 2010, MariaDB performs better than MySQL when running queries against large data sets.
This is because MariaDB stores indexes in memory while MySQL stores them on disk.
MariaDB Is More Secure
MariaDB is based on the original codebase of MySQL and contains no third-party modules.
It is, therefore, less likely to contain vulnerabilities than MySQL. In addition, MariaDB’s architecture makes it much easier to audit the software.
MariaDB Is More Efficient
MariaDB uses a different storage engine called TokuDB which is designed specifically for high-performance applications.
While this means that MariaDB may perform slower than MySQL at times, it also means that MariaDB is able to store larger amounts of data in a smaller amount of space.
Support
With MariaDB, you’ll get world-class support.
Backups
Automatic backups and MariaDB cloud help you to preserve your work.
The cloud service is especially useful.
How Can I Upgrade MariaDB?
Upgrades are done through the standard rpm and deb package managers.
You should only upgrade MariaDB when you are confident that the new version has been thoroughly tested. Upgrading MariaDB will replace all files in /etc/MySQL directory except those owned by the MySQL user.
You may want to back up these directories before upgrading.
Please note that this procedure will remove any data stored in the databases.
This means that if you are running production systems, you should make sure that they are backed up before performing this operation.
History Of MariaDB
The original MariaDB project was founded in 2001 by Monty Widenius, who wanted to create a pure C implementation of the MySQL database engine.
He had already created a commercial MySQL distribution called “MySQL AB” which he intended to sell to Sun Microsystems.
However, after seeing the quality of the code, he decided to release his own version of the software under the GNU General Public License.
In October 2002, Monty announced the creation of the MariaDB Foundation, a non-profit organization whose goal is to maintain and develop the MariaDB project.
In March 2003, Monty Widenius left MySQL AB and became the president of the foundation.
On September 26, 2003, Monty Widénius released MariaDB 1.0.0. Since then, MariaDB has grown rapidly and become one of the most popular free relational database management systems available today.
Is MariaDB Secure?
Yes. MariaDB uses strong cryptography and authentication mechanisms to protect users’ passwords and other sensitive information.
For example, MariaDB uses an MD5 hashing algorithm to store and compare password hashes. This prevents attackers from guessing weak passwords.
Passwords are encrypted during transmission between client and server, so no third party can intercept them. Password encryption keys are randomly generated each time a user logs in.
What Operating Systems Does MariaDB Run On?
MariaDB runs on Linux, BSD Unix, Mac OSX, Windows, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Tru64 UNIX, and SCO OpenServer.
Can I Install MariaDB On My Windows Machine?
Yes. MariaDB can run on Windows operating systems.
Benefits Of MariaDB
How To Easy Manage Database Updates And Security Patches
MariaDB has a built-in mechanism to automatically update itself when new versions become available.
This means that if you want to keep your database secure, you don’t have to worry about manually updating it yourself.
Automatic Database Patching
MariaDB automatically patches itself whenever it detects a vulnerability in its code.
This means that if you install MariaDB from source, you don’t have to worry about manually updating the software after every new release.
Rolling MySQL Database Upgrades
MariaDB has a feature called “rolling upgrades” which allows you to upgrade a database without downtime.
This means that if you have a server running MariaDB 10.1, you can update it to version 10.2 without having to shut down the service.
Conclusion
The best way to keep your MariaDB server secure is to update it regularly.
If you don’t, then you’re leaving yourself wide open to attacks from hackers who will exploit any known vulnerabilities.
Here at Open Query I want to make it as easy as possible for you to learn about topics that might not be easily accessible elsewhere online. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen many other websites talking about the MariaDB Foundation and its updates.
That’s what makes Open Query truly unique. While others might assume everyone knows this information already automatically, I am filling my online resource to help.
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