MariaDB launches MaxScale to simplify database scalability

Continuous database connectivity for stress-free load balancing and better failover

HELSINKI, FINLAND and LONDON, UK – 15 Jan 2015 – MariaDB Corporation, formerly known as SkySQL, today launched a major database innovation with the introduction of MariaDB MaxScale, an open source proxy which, for the first time, fully decouples applications and databases. MariaDB MaxScale speeds up and, in some cases removes the need for the time-consuming database administration processes needed to scale out enterprise applications as businesses grow, or respond to changes.

Leveraging the MariaDB development team’s knowledge of MariaDB, Oracle MySQL, Galera Clustering and other popular database technologies, MaxScale acts as a database aware proxy layer. MaxScale simplifies the process of growth by isolating the application from scaling at the database level. The MariaDB team focused on the key pain points for application and database professionals and developed five types of plugins: protocols, monitoring, routing, authentication and logging. This approach brings major business advantages including:

  • Improved scalability and operational flexibility – Advanced features such as Read/Write splitting to optimize Master/Slave architectures and achieve better throughput. Intelligent rule-based filtering at the proxy layer provides complex database queries and reporting without the need to code changes to either the database or the application, saving development time and costs.
  • Better database security – Introducing a proxy layer allows for more granular database security control by detecting and preventing SQL injection and unauthorized access.
  • Greater choice of future database platforms – MaxScale has the ability to change database protocols from MariaDB and MySQL as well as via JSON to Microsoft SQL Server, Hadoop, PostgreSQL and other popular database choices.

“We are working in close collaboration with MariaDB Corporation to implement the Binlog Server as a module to the MariaDB MaxScale pluggable framework. This resulted in a working prototype and we are now already deploying the module in our production environment. The Binlog Server module will allow us to widen our replication installation at a lower cost than alternative solutions. We are looking forward to continue working with MariaDB Corporation to extend the Binlog Server module even further.” states Mr. Jean-François Gagné, Senior System Engineer at Booking.com.

“MariaDB MaxScale is a DBA’s dream come true! It has a pluggable architecture which significantly increases flexibility and aids customization as well as a lightweight, high-speed networking core delivering superior throughput.“ says Alessandro Fustini, DBA and Java Developer at Colt Engine.

Patrik Sallner said: “MariaDB MaxScale is a breakthrough product from MariaDB Corporation. DBAs can now change and limit the databases available without making potentially hazardous changes to application logic. It liberates database professionals to operate faster and more robust solutions with less dependence on application developers. MaxScale’s plug-in approach will continue to bring new capabilities to customers and partners in the future. What we have developed here is a fundamentally new approach to address the need for speed and scale, common to many organizations today.”

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About MariaDB Corporation

MariaDB Corporation is a leading open source relational database provider in the $10bn global market. Built by the luminaries behind the legendary MySQL project, its engineer-led team totals over half a millennium of transactional database technology experience. MariaDB is developed by a vibrant community that nurtures new talent and is committed to transparent innovation in order to achieve its aim of building the world’s leading database platform for cloud. Today, MariaDB has over 2 million users globally and 500 customers in over 30 countries, including global brands such as HP, Craigslist, Deutsche Telekom, Virgin Mobile and Booking.com. Open Source technology leaders such as Red Hat, SUSE, Rackspace and IBM have chosen MariaDB as their database of choice for their customers who include some of the world’s largest enterprises.