Galera Cluster is a synchronous multi-master replication plug-in for MariaDB, MySQL, and Percona Server. It provides high availability, no-loss data protection, and multi-master capabilities.
Setting up Galera Cluster with MariaDB involves many steps, and it’s important to mention that it requires a minimum of three nodes for the production environment. Here are the main steps to set it up:
1. Set Up Nodes: You need at least 3 nodes (computers or servers), which can be set up on-premise or on cloud infrastructure.
1. Install MariaDB: Install MariaDB on all the nodes. You can do this by using the package management software for the respective Linux distribution you’re using. Like `apt-get` for Debian/Ubuntu (`sudo apt-get install mariadb-server`) or `yum` for RHEL/CentOS (`sudo yum install mariadb-server`).
1. Install Galera: Galera Cluster for MariaDB comes as a separate package that you’ll need to install alongside the standard MariaDB package. It’s available from the MariaDB repository.
1. Configure MariaDB for Galera: You’ll need to configure each node to use the Galera Cluster. This involves editing the MariaDB configuration file (usually `/etc/my.cnf` or `/etc/mysql/my.cnf`) to include settings for Galera.
1. Initialize the Galera Cluster: Once the nodes are properly set up and configured, you can start the Galera Cluster. This can be done by starting MariaDB with the `—wsrep-new-cluster` option on one node.
1. Add Nodes to the Cluster: After the cluster is initialized, you can add the remaining nodes to the cluster by starting MariaDB normally.
1. Test the Cluster: Finally, you should test the cluster to ensure that it’s working correctly.
A detailed step by step guide on how to set up MariaDB with Galera Cluster can be found in the official MariaDB documentation or Galera cluster documentation.
Remember, before you actually set up Galera Cluster in a production environment, it is highly recommended to simulate and test the entire setup process in a mock environment to gain an understanding of how to solve possible difficulties.
