I have a setup with two MySQL database servers. Each server runs different applications and stores separate databases. I want to create a backup system where if one server crashes, the other can take over quickly.
The main challenge is keeping both servers synchronized with current data without major performance issues. Running complete database exports every few minutes is not practical for my use case.
I’m considering using MySQL’s replication logs for this purpose. Has anyone implemented something similar? I’m worried about the performance impact on the backup server when it processes all the replication data.
Also, some of my tables contain temporary data that doesn’t need to be replicated. Is there a way to exclude specific tables from the replication process? Any suggestions for the best approach would be helpful.
Manual MySQL replication is a nightmare - you’ll spend forever fixing sync issues.
Skip the binlog headaches and build automation instead. Set up workflows that watch both servers, catch changes, and sync only what’s needed.
For temp tables, use smart filters based on patterns or metadata. Way better than editing configs every time you add tables.
The real game-changer? Automated failover. Primary dies, traffic switches instantly. No manual DNS changes or panicking during outages.
I built something like this last year for our cluster. Handles health checks, selective sync, and instant failover. Performance rocks because it only processes actual changes.
Latenode makes these database workflows dead simple. You get monitoring, logic, and failover without the manual replication mess.
MySQL replication works great in production, but watch out for the gotchas. Performance impact on your backup server depends on write volume and server specs. The replication itself is pretty lightweight since it handles binlog events asynchronously. Replication lag during peak hours caught me off guard initially. Monitor slave lag closely - if your primary dies during heavy writes, you’ll lose recent transactions. Learned that one the hard way during an outage. For excluding temp tables, you’ve got options beyond replicate-ignore-table. Set up separate databases for temp data and only replicate production schemas. Cleaner separation, easier management. Test your failover process regularly. Running smooth replication is one thing - actually switching over during an emergency means DNS changes, app configs, sometimes manual fixes. Document everything because when things break, the process needs to be bulletproof.
totally agree! mySQL replicashun is effective if set up right. i’ve had no trouble with master-master setups on light servers. for the temp tables u wanna exclude, just implement replicate-ignore-table in ur config. it works great!
Did something similar six months back when our main database crashed and killed three apps for four hours. MySQL replication worked way better than I expected, even with decent load on it. Biggest game-changer was switching to row-based replication instead of statement-based. Cut CPU overhead on the replica big time and killed most of the weird edge cases we hit during testing. Performance hit was tiny - maybe 5% extra load during peak times. For table exclusion, replicate-wild-ignore-table beats the basic ignore option hands down. You can pattern match whole table groups, which was perfect for our session and cache tables. Config stays clean and maintenance is easy. One thing nobody mentioned - watch your network bandwidth between servers. Our first setup maxed out the connection during big data imports until we throttled replication traffic. Keep an eye on network usage those first few weeks.
Honestly, master-slave setup saved me last month when my primary server crashed. The key is tuning sync_binlog and innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit for your specific workload - defaults will kill your performance. Also worth using GTID to make failover way easier.
MySQL replication works great, but figure out what you actually need first. Performance hit depends on your write patterns - bursts followed by quiet periods? The replica catches up fine. Constant heavy writes? You’ll see lag.
Here’s what worked for me: run delayed replication with real-time sync. Keep one primary replica for immediate failover, plus a delayed one (maybe 30 minutes behind) for protection against corrupted data or bad queries. Gives you recovery options when things go sideways.
For temp tables, use prefixes like temp_ or cache_, then exclude them with replicate-wild-ignore-table patterns. Way cleaner than managing individual table lists. And test that your apps handle failover properly - connection timeouts, retry logic, and transaction handling matter when you’re actually switching servers.
Been fighting MySQL sync issues for years - manual replication setups always turn into a nightmare. Those binlog performance hits are brutal.
Skip the manual stuff and automate everything with a workflow tool. Set up smart triggers that only sync actual changes, not some random timer. Kills the performance problems right there.
For temp tables, just build conditional logic that filters by table names or data types. Way better than messing with config files.
I built something like this last year - multiple DB instances with smart failover. The automation does health checks, figures out what needs syncing, and only moves changed data. No more churning through entire databases.
You need something that handles all the moving parts without constant babysitting. Latenode works great for this kind of database workflow automation. Takes care of the complex stuff so you don’t have to stress about performance or edge cases.