Oracle releases MySQL 5.6 for community testing

Oracle has updated its MySQL 5.6 database with scalability and performance enhancements, and is asking the open source community to test the new features and provide feedback.

Oracle said in April that the next update to the database would include improved query speeds, enhanced partitioning, improved backup and additional monitoring and management tools, and has now released further details as the database is ready for testing.

Full text search is now supported through an upgrade to the InnoDB storage engine. Users will be able to build full text indices and search for text-based content stored in InnoDB tables, as well as perform fast searches on document content.

The maximum size of InnoDB redo log files has been increased from 4GB to 2TB to improve the performance of applications with write-heavy workloads or long running transactions.

The update also provides faster MySQL replication, and an API that allows customers to integrate MySQL with new and legacy applications and data stores.

Developers can access the MySQL updates on the web site, but are advised to use them only on "testing servers".

"[The updates] are not fit for production. Instead install them on a spare server," the site states.

Oracle said that the updates will be available for general release after testing, as is the norm with open source upgrades.

MWD analyst Helena Schwenk explained that most of the features are focused on online transaction processing.

"This release is designed to improve MySQL performances and widen usage scenarios through its ability to index and search text-based data," she told V3.

Meanwhile, Freeform Dynamics analyst Tony Locke suggested that the performance and scalability improvements were to be expected.

"It's the updates to integration that are the significant bit. From all our research, we find that IT departments' biggest challenge is integration, and in getting systems and platforms to work together," he said.

The update to MySQL is the second Oracle has made since acquiring Sun Microsystems in January 2010.

Oracle updated MySQL Enterprise Edition 5.5 in March with a range of new management tools and improved support.