What MySQL 5.7 InnoDB Experts Reveal: Key Q&A on New Features
An expert panel from the High‑Efficiency Operations community answers eleven pressing MySQL 5.7 questions, covering test hardware, GA timeline, GIS speed, virtual column indexing, materialized view plans, 2‑D geo support, performance monitoring, Oracle’s market strategy, geojson handling, multi‑source replication, buffer‑pool locking, and InnoDB Memcached consistency.
Based on the “High‑Efficiency Operations” community’s weekly “Operations Forum” session, this article compiles the interactive Q&A with database kernel expert Allen Lai, Principal Software Developer on Oracle’s InnoDB team.
Participants
Lai Zi
Li Zhuohua
Zhao Yingang
Zeng Gang (CMU‑Australia)
Jin Zhengdi
Guest Introduction
Allen Lai, a veteran of over ten years in database kernel development, previously senior engineer at DM and Teradata, now leads InnoDB execution and storage engine development at Oracle.
Key Q&A
Q1: What hardware was used in the test environment? Some say 40 WTPS makes NoSQL untenable.
A: See DimitriK’s blog for detailed test records. Note that QPS is not the same as TPS.
Q2: When will MySQL 5.7 reach General Availability?
A: It should be released soon.
Q3: How does MySQL 5.7’s GIS performance compare to Elasticsearch‑type search engines?
A: No detailed benchmark yet, but implementations based on R‑tree are similar; Boost GIS experts are involved in the project.
Q4: Are virtual columns and indexes on them similar to functional indexes? What are typical use cases?
A: Yes, they behave like functional indexes, though specific application scenarios were not detailed.
Q5: Is there a plan to support materialized views in InnoDB?
A: It is under consideration and has strong prospects.
Q6: Does MySQL 5.7 provide SQL‑level support for 2‑D geo data?
A: Boost GIS contributors have integrated relevant features into 5.7.
Q7: Will performance monitoring be enhanced, e.g., an AWR‑like feature?
A: Yes, monitoring is being strengthened; see new capabilities in Performance Schema (PFS).
Q8: Why does Oracle heavily promote MySQL? To out‑compete non‑Oracle rivals or to sell enterprise services?
A: Oracle focuses on finance and telecom markets, while MySQL targets the internet sector, reflecting market differentiation.
Q9: Is geojson the appropriate format for storing locations, and can existing latitude/longitude fields be smoothly migrated?
A: JSON support is still under discussion.
Q10: Does MySQL 5.7 support multi‑source replication?
A: Yes, multi‑source replication is supported; see the MySQL manual.
Q11: Will modifying the InnoDB buffer pool cause locks?
A: It acquires internal InnoDB locks but does not lock the whole system, allowing dynamic resizing.
Q12: Can the InnoDB Memcached plugin read dirty data?
A: No, because it operates under the default repeatable‑read isolation level.
— End of Q&A —
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