Relational databases have been in use for much longer than their non-relational counterparts. They started as early as Microsoft Access which I happen to have used a lot. In my High School days at Oloolaiser High School, Ngong, I used to make Visual Basic programs connected to a Microsoft Access database. Mr. Joshua Wakhu, my teacher, was passionate about computers and supported my interest in studying them.
My early use of relational databases might have made me reluctant to make a move to non-relational databases. Still, it also taught me a lot about the power of relational databases when it comes to making data organized and easily accessible. The use of relational databases relies on tables and relationships to make an organized collection of your data.
With several tables and primary keys, and foreign keys, you can easily create powerful connections and stronger insights out of the relational databases. For instance, you can use the relations created by the primary and foreign keys to get a sub-set of data from a table containing a foreign key.
For instance, all employees who work in the research and development department are in a database full of employee records. This is quite powerful and brings out the power of databases to be used by anyone, even with a little understanding of databases. Relational databases are not complicated at all, and getting familiar with them takes just a short while.
As such, adopting them in your business or your organization is quite simple. The shift to a relational database can be compared to replacing traditional paper records with a digital version that is fully reference-able and can be queried to give you only the records that meet certain criteria.
For instance, in the case of our database of employees, we might want to know which employees earn a salary of more than 50,000 per month. In this case, our query will include this condition and set the records from the employees’ table. However, the query can also be enhanced to take advantage of the relationship between the employees’ table and the salaries table.
Such powerful features of the relational databases have made them so powerful and popular over the years, and many huge companies and organizations are still using the relational database for their internal purposes.
They are an easy shift to the world of databases. Companies that have been used to traditional paper-based documents and records for a long time will be easily transitioned to databases thanks to the use of a relational database.
With the relational database, many of the concepts they had been used to when working with paper records will not be changed. They will be the same but a lot more powerful, faster and efficient. The relational databases are also known to enforce effective database integrity measures, and as such, double records are eliminated.
In a way, relational databases make companies more accountable and transparent in their operations. They get to maintain more accurate records, and there are always measures to prevent the corruption of the data through the entry of illegal records. With these safety measures, you do not have a reason to worry since all our data will be secured.
As a database user, you will also be safe from making any significant changes to your database. For instance, validation checks ensure that the correct data types are being entered into the database rows and columns. If a certain field is meant for names, you should be entering alphabetical characters instead of numbers.
Such checks and measures are useful and will ensure that you do not enter any incorrect data in your database. Relational databases are designed to be easy to use, and even small organizations that are getting started will find the database to be quite easy to use.
The convenience of these databases means that all the data storage and reference functions of the business or organization that uses them will be taken care of. The people who use the database will also enjoy the relational feature, which places greater control and power in their hands.
Being able to obtain insight into the database based on the relationships formed from the table is very useful for various areas of applications. When you can point the relationship between the various entities in the database, you will also avoid drawing incomplete conclusions.
You will also be able to make full use of the database. The use of relational databases has for the longest time ensured that businesses and organizations could easily keep track of their functions and not lose a single bit of data.
In the long term, the relational database will ensure that millions of records are still intact and can be referenced from wherever they are. The use of a database with desktop applications, for instance, can add a lot of useful features and functionalities to the application.
Being able to save what you have entered into the database will ensure that you can refer to it later and present much more information to you on the desktop application. Many custom applications that are being developed for use in organizations and businesses are finding the use of databases to be quite useful for ensuring that they can keep track of all their data.
Relational databases can also be used with many custom applications to present businesses and organizations with streamlined ways and means of carrying out their functions and even handling their business.
A tea processing factory, for instance, might need to have a logistics management system that is built on top of a relational database. From the application, the tea factory will be able to keep track of all the incoming tea and what is available in the stock.
With this in place, the factory will control the amounts of tea in store and what gets exported. With the use of a digital system, the factory will be more efficient and will be able to handle a lot more tea than it was traditionally capable of with paper records.
The growth in efficiency will ensure that the business can keep track of all their tea and function more efficiently. The use of the database will be quite useful for keeping the factory profitable, and it also has a significant impact on the economy.
MariaDB
MariaDB is an open-source relational database based upon the core principles of stability, performance, and openness. It is entirely open-source, meaning that anyone that downloads it is free to make as many modifications as they need to turn it into a database that will fit their needs and store their information in the format they need it.
Continuous contributions from the community ensure that the features are getting improved. This gets you better features and a stable code base that supports modifications from the open-source community.
MariaDB can support huge workloads and has been designed for the modern world. The relational database management system has been known to be the best replacement for MySQL. Any company, business, or organization using MySQL for their data storage for a long time will find MariaDB an attractive replacement and an even more substantial upgrade.
The database is powerful and efficient, bringing features to the user that would be traditionally considered impossible on a large scale. Older relational databases were not able to scale up but with the introduction of MariaDB, scaling up and growing your database is no longer a problem for you.
The Shift at MySQL
The developers that were working on MySQL are the same people that created MariaDB, led by Widenius. They had a rift, and all but one developer working on MySQL made a move to MariaDB.
The team that broke away had been working on the Maria engine and continued the development until they created MariaDB, an open-source database management system that is also a replacement for MySQL. As a replacement for MySQL, MariaDB is more effective and efficient at handling queries and processing data on behalf of the users.
Ease-of-Use
It is also easy to use, and the fact that it is open source means that it is widely supported. Whenever you need documentation or help on any issue that you face while using the database, you will always find someone who has experienced the same challenge and is willing to assist you.
Getting started with the database is also a lot easier, and you get to experience an easier time managing your data.
Additionally, the fact that MariaDB is an open-source database means that you can easily make custom extensions and interface the database with any program that you create.
Developer Support
There are plugins and extensions available for NodeJS and other web development platforms, making the database an efficient tool to use with your online applications, web applications, and other online systems. Creating applications to work with the database is also made possible by using drivers available for a variety of programming languages such as Java, Python, and even the Microsoft .NET platform.
Developers will have an easy time developing applications that will work with the database, including data storage into their toolbox. The database management system enables the developers to create applications that can easily store information and make it available to the users whenever needed.
The use of the database drivers acts as an interface between the database users, the programming language they are using, and the database itself. Any queries made in the programming language get to be translated using the database driver, and the database itself gets the correct version of the query made.
Whenever you search for a database solution for your business, MariaDB should be your first choice when you are looking for a relational database. It has all the features that you need to work with data and relate various features and properties of the stored data on your database.
Powerful Queries
The database is also robust and allows for very powerful queries on the data within the database. Whenever you interact with the database, you will quickly refer to the data within the database, meaning that your programs can also include various utilities such as search features.
Whenever the user needs to obtain a specific record, your queries will pick the choice that matches what the users have been searching for. As such, you will get to provide more utility to the end-users of your application when you are working with MariaDB.
For many years, MariaDB has been in development and has seen continuous development and improvement of the features that it presents to its users.
Developers are also finding the database to be quite helpful for their programs. The applications they are working on developing are interfacing with the database quite nicely, and referring to the data is quite fast. In terms of performance, MariaDB does not let you down.
The database works very well and responds to all the queries made on the database in a relatively short amount of time. The users of the database get to enjoy the same features that they used to enjoy in MySQL and a lot of new features that have been included in the new database by the very same developers who used to work on MySQL.
High Performance
The performance of the database makes it ideal for high-demand scenarios such as the programs that are used to manage institutions and other official places such as offices.
The users of the database can also be assured of getting instant results for all their queries. Whenever they need to obtain data concerning their searches, the database will return the relevant data quickly.
There is rarely any delay associated with using MariaDB, and the users have found it to be a true joy to have. The database users can work with a lot of data without having to worry about the database’s performance, which is why many users prefer it.
The use of the database has been witnessed in many application areas, and academia is especially using MariaDB. For research and development purposes, the fact that MariaDB is an open-source database means that software developers can take it apart and build new features out of the existing set of features.
Additionally, the database has been designed to be robust and efficient for all users. The users will be able to get the results they need from the database in less time, and as a result, it is a very reliable database. No matter the area of application, the database is straightforward to use and very efficient.
MariaDB has been designed to be used in the same manner as people were used to when they used MySQL. The syntax for using the database has not changed much, and if you were used to MySQL instructions and syntax, you would get the same kind of experience when you migrate to MariaDB.
Better Businesses
Businesses and organizations that need to be more efficient and use their data will find MariaDB to be one of the best database management systems for them. It has been designed with scalability and ease of use in mind and can be grown to a large size without limitations or complexities.
The users who have had experience working with MariaDB can also attest that it is straightforward to use. First-time users will find the learning curve for the new database to be also manageable, and the users will not have to worry about learning new technologies to manage their data.
The use of MariaDB ensures that they can use their data better and get the total value of the data. The users of these databases will find that MariaDB possesses some compelling features such as query management, data sanitization, and a highly reliable engine.
The performance of the database is also one of the other reasons the users of this database will find it to be the best for their needs. It has been designed to be stable in performance and has the best speeds available with many relational database packages.
No matter what area of application the MariaDB database is meant for, it will provide you with uniform access to all your data and ensure that you’re more productive and effective as a business or an organization. The database is also designed to be safe to use, and it is known to run many checks on the queries that are made on it.
These checks are used to ensure that there are no illegal characters in the queries that are made on the database. Additionally, the database has been designed to prevent the improper use of its systems by ensuring that all the queries are checked twice before they can be executed.
For making queries, MariaDB users will use the same SQL query statements that they have been used.
Easy Transition
The transition to the new database will not be as complicated, and the users will find it to be a simple means of making transactions and storing data. The syntax for interacting with the data is also simple and does not cause any complications.
Additionally, the users get better control over the data as the new SQL syntax is easy to learn and does not present any challenges to the database users. With the new database, many features have been borrowed from MySQL hence the high level of resemblance.
If you intend to replace your MySQL databases with the new MariaDB database, there will be no need to change anything with the client programs. The client programs will remain the same even when you have switched the database since the underlying features are very similar, and the syntax is still the same.
For this reason, the upgrade process is quite simple. It does not bring many complications with it, which is why many people are finding the database to be an attractive replacement for their existing MySQL database systems.
A database administrator working with MySQL will find MariaDB simple to learn, and working with it is not as complicated. The new database has a lot of powerful features that are also known to be easy to use.
DBA Friendly
The database administrator will be able to get up and running with the new database management system within a single day since there are not many changes that have been introduced to MariaDB in terms of the arrangement of the data and the syntax of the instructions that are being used to interact with the new database. However, MariaDB comes with a load of performance improvements and many new features that were not available in MySQL.
The new features have been developed in-house and can interact and work with massive data sets a lot easier. Performance improvements and bug fixes have also been made, and with these comes better and more reliable performance from the new database.
The database management system can handle vast amounts of data without fail, and its level of performance far exceeds what was possible with MySQL in the past. The commands that can be run on the new database management system are more powerful, which means that MariaDB is a lot easier to use and interact with. Controlling the database is very simple, and you will not run into challenges when interacting with the database.
Better Utilities
Additionally, the use of the database also means that you will do a lot more than just store data. You can even obtain insights from the database with the powerful features that have been introduced to the database. This will let you see what is available in the database, such as the user statistics, which show the database users and other helpful information.
In addition to operations that run for a short while, other operations take longer to complete. These can be left running even when there are no people actively interacting with the database. These commands are handy for maintaining the database and making it possible to keep track of everything that the users need in the database.
With the new features, integrating with the database has been made a lot easier. You can also obtain more insights into the nature of the information within the database. You can also have more data types in MariaDB, including date and time.
Additionally, a feature considered useless in MySQL was brought back to life in MariaDB.
Subqueries
The sub-query feature is now active and working in MariaDB after developers tackled it to ensure that it would provide useful functionalities to the database users. When dealing with complex workloads, the optimizer will ensure that all your queries take less time to be processed.
Additionally, you will no longer have to worry about your database queries getting translated for the database since the optimizer is in charge of handling all these transactions and ensuring that your database can receive your queries in the proper format.
The efficiency that you gain when you are working with MariaDB is increased, and you also get to work better with data. Replication has also been enhanced in MariaDB, together with group commits for the binary work log.
Better Searches with Table Elminations
Table eliminations when you need to simplify your queries have also been made possible, and MariaDB lets you remove some tables from the search criteria so that you look for the data you need in the relevant places.
Better Tests
Testing is a feature that developers need access to all the time when they are working on databases and other applications. When the developer creates applications that will be integrated with the MariaDB, they will need to conduct a load of tests that will ensure that the database works according to their expectations.
The use of tests in MariaDB has been put in place to ensure that developers can develop more powerful features and test for integrating their applications with the database. The automation of these tests is also possible, and the developers will be able to determine whether their databases are performing as they would expect with a simple test.
Clustering is also available with MariaDB, and you can have the same database spread out across several geographical locations. Whenever you are ruing business-critical applications, you need to ensure that you provide accessibility to the data across the entire globe.
When you can cluster and distribute the database across several locations, you will provide better database features and functionalities.
Clustering
MariaDB Galera can be used to distribute your relational database across many servers and make sure that the data can be accessed in many geographical locations. The reason for distributing the database is to increase its availability and reduce the time taken to retrieve data from the database.
The feature is a mighty one and demonstrates that even relational database features can be used in a clustered fashion. As such, you can efficiently distribute the database across several servers.
When you can cluster the database, you will store vast amounts of data while ensuring continuous availability for this data. The database users will find it beneficial for their needs, such as carrying out scientific experiments and storing vast amounts of data for a long time.
When you need the data to be accessible to many people at the same time, the use of clustering ensures that your database can perform at the same pace as you would with a bit of data. Being able to perform well with a vast amount of data is also essential whenever you need to streamline the performance of your database.
Modern database systems have been designed to be efficient in processing queries. The concept of distributed systems has been significantly applied to modern applications to make data available on a larger scale.
A Database for the Modern World
MariaDB was designed with the data processing needs of the modern world in mind, and the developers were sure to include features that would work to solve the many challenges today’s businesses face whenever they are dealing with massive amounts of data.
The use of MariaDB has been increasingly observed to make businesses more effective and efficient at delivering services and giving their customers the best level of performance when it comes to retrieving data.
Queries are a lot faster with MariaDB, and no matter what scale the database is currently running at, it will still provide the feedback and results that the users need no matter what they need from the database.
For this reason, MariaDB is known to be more efficient and effective at processing queries and sorting through records, and making information more accessible and organized for the modern world. The use of MariaDB has increased for the scientific community, with more scientists using the database for their experiments and storing their data over time.
Whenever you cluster servers and distribute them across the globe, you will also be required to replicate the data across the available servers.
The replication can occur synchronously or asynchronously and ensure that the data is spread out across the databases to make it available to the users depending on how close they are to the server where the database is hosted.
If some changes have been made on one server, these changes will have to be synchronized with the other servers in real-time to ensure reliable access to the data. The other reason for data replication is to ensure that there is no loss of data.
Even when the central server is not accessible, the replica will still be a reliable source of data. Even when some servers are lost, the replicas will act as a point of recovery for the entire system. Modern database systems have to be able to take care of their backups and recoveries.
The increase in online attacks, cybersecurity incidences, malware, hackers, and even ransomware calls for a data replication approach that will leave a company with a copy of their data even when hackers steal the other copy to ask for ransom.
The replications also need to be consistent across the different servers so that the data remains the same and does not change much while it is in the database. The same data should be in the central server as in the replica server.
Documentation and being accountable are other features of excellent database management systems. Statement logs are essential for a database and ensure that every transaction and update that is taking place in the database are recorded. The logs will help ensure accountability for the data and the database.
No matter what kind of database you are using, you will need to have a means of logging the transactions. Thankfully, MariaDB has a logging feature that will accurately cover all your transactions and ensure that you do not lose track of the information that is moving in and out of your database.
The database management system has also been designed to be easy to use to ensure that the end-users can fully utilize the many unique features that it presents to them.
The users of the database can also offer these features to other users through the use of applications that have been built to interface with the database and ensure that the users can make better use of the data within the database.
Replications, however, can bring about complications of their own, and many challenges take place whenever a complex replication operation has to be repeated. This was the case in October 2018 when GitHub had issues with its automatic failover process.
MariaDB, however, is always getting improved and such issues are rare for the database management system. The users find it increasingly efficient and effective for handling their transactions on a small and large scale. MariaDB can be used with the Galera cluster to provide multi-primary replication and recovery for their databases.
Modern companies and organizations also need to make use of a database system that is easy to use and optimized for clustering, replication, and failure recovery.
Such a database should also be able to perform relatively fast and return responses to all the queries made on it within the least possible time. The database users need to make queries on the contents held within the database and count the occurrences of records that meet specific criteria.
Merging queries is also possible with this modern database system. Many database administrators prefer it as it presents a simple relational database without a lot of complications.
The design of MariaDB has been made such that it not only responds to queries much faster but can also be clustered and distributed across several servers. When your company or business is operating globally, replications will ensure that you have several copies of the same database in different geographical locations.
With this in place, you will be able to do a lot more with your database and prevent the loss of data from your databases. Whenever you are dealing with data at a vast scale, having a database that can be scaled up to take care of the increasing amounts of data will be pretty helpful.
With it, you will keep a check on your data growth and gain plenty of valuable insights from your database. The database is relatively simple to use and has been designed for efficient access to and operations on data.
With the database, you will quickly get to sort through vast amounts of data with a lot of ease. You will rarely lose track of the data that you are working with, thanks to the many powerful features that have been built into the MariaDB engine as a means of controlling the growing sets of data that are in use in the modern world.
As a user of the database, you will no longer have to worry about the rate at which data is growing. Instead, all you will have to be concerned about is maintaining the database and the servers on which it resides. When you have this in check, the rest of the operations will be efficient and straightforward.
A database is required in many modern applications, and MariaDB brings a solution to storing and elegantly referencing vast amounts of data. It is simple to use and very powerful in terms of the operations that it can carry out. It is the best example of a modern database supporting relational features and making access and reference to data easy.
Conclusion
Relational databases are known to be very powerful and are the best introduction people that have never used a database can get to database management systems. It is simple to use and almost resembles the paper-based applications that people and even organizations use for their daily activities.
MariaDB is one of the best examples of a relational database management system that makes it possible for users to learn and get started using the database in a relatively short amount of time.
The users of the database have no problem getting themselves familiar with this database system. It is also capable of complex operations and can be easily scaled up to higher levels. The user of the database also finds it to be quite robust with the many features that it has available in its system.
The database has been designed with input from major players in the technology industry. The open-source community has also contributed actively to the development and maintenance of the MariaDB database management system.
For this reason, it is always healthy and has a lot of powerful features. It is also known to work with many of the other features and database tools people have been used to for a very long time. These include replication tools and other database tools that are in use.
Developers also find this database to be the tool of choice whenever they are developing applications that will serve companies and other organizations to enable them to carry out transactions, keep track of records, and make sure that their operations are done at a manageable level scale. The use of this database has been rapidly taking over the world. It has become the primary replacement for the MySQL database and shares many features with the former database.
The development team that worked on MySQL is the same that worked on the new database management system, and the features that you are used to in MySQL will be the same ones that you will enjoy when you adopt the new database management system.
