MySQL CentOS and Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Many Linux experts prefer CentOS. The reason is clear, Redhat's RHEL is probably the best Linux server distribution and CentOS is very much a like (except for the yearly fees).
This distribution (and Fedora as well) is very common for MySQL installation, since there are many predefined packages for it. This is unlike other distributions such as Ubuntu.

Therefore, when you will perform your database migration to the cloud, I recommend that you will first verify your needs. The following items will help you implement your systems right:

1. Select the Linux flavor
1. CentOS: Detailed options are available bellow. Don't forget to verify the recent CentOS version: Usually there are two (an early major version such as 6.0 and an old advanced minor version such as 5.7) and you should select the right version for you.
2. Fedora: Some free and good AMIs are available.
3. RHEL: There is a premium AMI for it
4. Ubuntu: No formal MySQL distribution exists to this flavor.
5. Debian.
2. Select the Storage Type. Amazon AMIs can store their information on one of two storage type:
1. Instance storage: this is a server attached disks storage that is great from plain performance issues (no network traffic and latency for storage). Yet, it lacks the option to extend the disk seamlessly to a larger size and backup must be done through the network instead on an instant disk duplication (shorter downtime).
2. EBS: this is Storage Area Network based disks that easily can be extended and backed up with minimal server downtime. Yet, this storage costs both in money (~$0.15/GB per month) and network latency.
3. Select the right image for you:
1. RightScale Image: (last update Jan 2009. If you don't use RightScale, don't forget to remove their management tools and don't forget to update your version to a recent one. RightScale has the two types of images.
2. Amazon Linux AMI: The AWS image is based on CentOS image, yet it includes some tweaks. The plus is having an Out of the Box solution with Amazon support. The minus is that it's not a 100% RHEL compatible anymore.
4. Install your database (MySQL probably) and web server (Apache probably) on the machine.
1. The recommended MySQL version is MySQL 5.5 with major performance enhancement since MySQL 5.1.

Bottom Line

Now, you just need is to choose the configuration that most fit your needs.

Keep Performing,

Moshe Kaplan

Moshe Kaplan is an entrepreneur and a cloud systems consultant