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Migration of local MySQL 5.5 databases

For Managed Dedicated Servers

In this article we have compiled answers to frequently asked questions about the upcoming migration of MySQL 5.5 databases for Managed Servers.

Why is migration taking place?

The requirements for system security and the integrity of the database and hosting platform necessitate the migration of outdated MySQL databases to modern and regularly maintained database servers. As your local databases are still running on the outdated database management system MySQL 5.5, we will update the databases to a current, secure, and stable version: MariaDB 10.

When will my databases be migrated?

We will start the migrations in February and plan to complete them within 14 days. As a large number of databases will be migrated, for technical reasons it is not possible to give you an exact date for the migration of your database(s). Please note that the migration cannot be postponed and that all databases must be migrated during this period. We thank you for your understanding in our effort to ensure a smooth transition.

Note

The migration will be carried out in two phases: The databases up to a size of 5 GB are migrated first. Only once this migration has been completed for all customers will databases larger than 5 GB be migrated. 
This means that different migration times apply depending on whether a database is larger or smaller than 5 GB.

What are the advantages of migration?

  • MariaDB 10 is fully compatible with MySQL 5.5.
  • MariaDB 10 supports more up-to-date SQL specifications.
  • As part of the migration, your databases are moved to dedicated database servers, allowing you to automatically benefit from the advantages of our performance databases: The infrastructure specially designed for database operation combines excellent performance with maximum security. It also offers high availability thanks to geo-redundancy (there is virtually no downtime).

Why migrate to MariaDB and not to MySQL?

MariaDB 10 is a powerful and modern open source database management system that is still fully compatible with your outdated MySQL 5.5 database. This allows us to automatically migrate your databases to MariaDB, whereas this would not be possible in all cases with a current MySQL version, as MySQL is not designed for backward compatibility to the same extent as MariaDB.

In addition, MariaDB contains many improvements and optimisations compared to MySQL, especially in the areas of performance and scalability. This can be particularly beneficial for WordPress websites that need to handle a large number of page views and users. By using MariaDB, WordPress websites can run faster and more stable, which can lead to a better user experience and higher search engine rankings.

Will my website be offline during the migration?

Yes; During the migration, any website connected to a database will be offline and therefore unavailable, as the database will be locked during this time.

How long will the migration of the databases take?

The duration of the migration depends on the size of the database. It usually takes less than 10 minutes.

Which of my databases are affected?

All local MySQL 5.5 databases (localhost) will be migrated to the new remote shared target systems.

If less than 10 databases are affected, we have listed the names of the affected databases in the migration email you received from us.

How do I know if my databases have already been migrated or not?

You can check whether the database has already been migrated in your IONOS account: Log in to your IONOS account and select Menu > Hosting > Databases. Then look in the "Type and version" column next to your database to see which database type is displayed. If it says "MariaDB", the migration is complete. If it says "MySQL", the migration is not yet complete.

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