I use MariaDB in my company for the deployment of web applications. MariaDB serves as a database software for web applications.
A scalable tool that helps with the deployment of web applications
Pros and Cons
- "It is an absolutely stable solution."
- "The difficult part related to the product stems not from the tool itself but is related to learning how to implement the product in the right way without creating any wrong configuration that could cause security issues or performance issues."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of the solution are that it is very stable and reliable. I like the fact that MariaDB is an open-source product and not resource-intensive. MariaDB runs on most of the operating systems of Linux. MariaDB is a cross-platform product, making it a great database choice.
What needs improvement?
MariaDB is a bit technical product, so whoever uses it will have to read a lot of documentation, which I don't think is a disadvantage of the product as it is just its nature. I believe that open-source products, in general, are a bit more advanced than regular systems. The difficult part related to the product stems not from the tool itself but is related to learning how to implement the product in the right way without creating any wrong configuration that could cause security issues or performance issues.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using MariaDB for five years.
Buyer's Guide
MariaDB
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about MariaDB. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is an absolutely stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
Two or three people in my company use MariaDB.
How are customer service and support?
I never had the need to contact the technical support team of MariaDB. I would usually find MariaDB's documentation and details online to read about how to deal with issues. Usually, issues in MariaDB are related to configurations more than stability as long as you make sure you install or use the stable version, which is considered to be a long-term supported system.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I moved from MySQL to MariaDB. MySQL is less maintained compared to MariaDB. Feature-wise and stability-wise, MariaDB is way better than MySQL from Oracle.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process of MariaDB is easy, provided you go through its documentation.
The solution can be deployed in ten to fifteen minutes.
Users can take care of the deployment part of the product by themselves, though, at times, it may depend on the project size that you plan to support with the software. If a project demands software that offers scalability and very high availability, the deployment process may take an entire day with many experienced engineers. If the deployment process is carried out for a single small system, it takes around fifteen to thirty minutes.
The solution is deployed on both the cloud and on-premises.
What other advice do I have?
Quarterly maintenance is required for the solution. When some security incidents occur, the solution's maintenance may be required. If a security issue related to the system is revealed online, it would need immediate maintenance. Maintenance is required depending on the updates provided by the product, which usually occurs once a month or once a quarter.
One person in the company can take care of the maintenance phase of the product.
I rate the overall product a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director at Pharos Consulting
Easy to use with good performance and security
Pros and Cons
- "We like the easy way that we can collect data from other databases."
- "We'd like more data intelligence."
What is our primary use case?
We're primarily using the solution for a data warehouse. It's just used to collect all this information from several databases, such as SQL Server, MySQL Server, DB2 Mainframe, and ZOS. We are collecting data from Excel spreadsheets. We're scanning and putting data right into MariaDB.
How has it helped my organization?
The best way to simplify our data governance process.
What is most valuable?
We like the easy way that we can collect data from other databases.
The performance and the security that we got on it are great.
The way that they distribute the database is excellent.
It is a product that is very easy to use.
It's helped us a lot in our data governance procedure.
Technical support is great.
What needs improvement?
We'd like more data intelligence. We are working with a client who needs a lot of information about Oracle groups that come in the country, on the passenger name records, and so on. We need more intelligence around that in order to work better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We didn't have any bugs yet. The solution is stable and reliable. We haven't had any issues yet.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We're still testing the solution with 30 people. Once we go into production, we'll train the whole company. therefore, we do plan to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
We're quite happy with the technical support. We are satisfied as they are responding in time. They are giving us good answers.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution. We started with this product from scratch. We're still organizing our approaches to be more competitive.
How was the initial setup?
We are implementing this solution with a variety of other solutions and setting everything up at once.
The solution is not so complex in that we don't want to resell any solution that we are not trying on ourselves. Therefore, we have a good understanding of how everything works, having done it ourselves.
We are still in production, and, after six months, we will begin deploying the solution.
On our side, we have three people working with MariaDB and two people at MariaDB helping as well.
What about the implementation team?
We're working with our client's technical services to get everything deployed.
What was our ROI?
We don't have clarity on an ROI yet. We've just started using the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I can't speak to the exact pricing.
The cost of licensing is dependent on the projects. We have many types of licensing. We have a subscription and we also have some like lesson sheets that we buy. After, we just pay for the maintenance.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated many options. We went for simple software. We took Hadoop with Cloudera since the best version of Hadoop is Cloudera. Then, we have MariaDB on our HCI environment to secure all of this. There's a general sense of happiness with these products. It's really easy for us to use everything. Still, we are just at the beginning of the use phase.
What other advice do I have?
We've started from scratch and we are using this product to build up use cases.
We are a service company and we reselling the solution. We are working directly with MariaDB.
The product is easy to use. When you're a database administrator and you're working with databases, such as MariaDB, it's very, very, very easy. You get the performance, you get the security, and you get monitoring and disaster recovery. You're working in a secure area with the performance you need and can mass scale it which is very useful.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. We still are exploring all of the possibilities, however.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Buyer's Guide
MariaDB
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about MariaDB. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
CTO at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
An open-source product that offers its users great online community support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is an open-source product and offers its users great online community support."
- "The solution is not scalable."
What is our primary use case?
MariaDB provides a platform for developing our company's database.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is an open-source product and offers its users great online community support.
What needs improvement?
Sharding and the platform's vertical and horizontal extension and growth or scalability are areas with shortcomings that need improvement in MariaDB.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using MariaDB for three years. I am a customer of the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is not scalable.
Around four people in my organization use the solution.
How are customer service and support?
MariaDB is an open-source community software, meaning it is based on the generosity of others. I rate the technical support a six out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of MariaDB is easy.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
Regarding the time taken to deploy MariaDB, I would say that in our company, we are still playing around with the platform. Our company is in the middle of a pivot right now, meaning we have plans to change our direction.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
MariaDB is an open-source software, meaning I don't need to pay for the product.
What other advice do I have?
I have no objections to the maintenance phase of MariaDB since I feel it is fine and easy.
I recommend the solution to those who plan to use it.
MariaDB is a community-supported product because of which I am not familiar with the paid support options that may be available.
I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
System Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Offers certain unique features that distinguish it from other databases but requires improvement in materialized views
Pros and Cons
- "I like the global transaction IDs (GTIDs) feature. It's quite reliable for replication between a master and a replica server, and it's a feature that MySQL also has but implemented differently."
- "I'd like to see improved materialized views, like the ability to save select queries. This feature is missing in MariaDB compared to other relational databases like Oracle and SQL Server."
What is our primary use case?
It's a relational database, so it's mainly used for structured data. We use it for some of our in-house applications.
How has it helped my organization?
For us the benefit is that the system is very stable, so we don't have many outages. We also have a lot of experience with MariaDB, so we can optimally configure MariaDB and deploy a well-tuned environment.
What is most valuable?
I like the global transaction IDs (GTIDs) feature. It's quite reliable for replication between a master and a replica server, and it's a feature that MySQL also has but implemented differently.
Another thing I like is the flashback feature, which allows you to roll back a transaction from the binary logs, so you can retrieve data. If someone deleted data, you can flash it back. That's a feature I really appreciate.
What needs improvement?
I'm interested in witnessing the integration of materialized views, which would enable the preservation of select queries. This particular functionality seems to be absent in MariaDB when compared to rival relational databases such as Oracle and SQL Server. The inclusion of this feature, akin to the offering from PostgreSQL, would be a valuable addition to MariaDB's capabilities.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have nearly 13 years of experience working extensively with MySQL, and in recent years, I've also gained proficiency with MariaDB. Since MariaDB is closely related to MySQL, my combined experience with both platforms spans over a decade. Currently, we're utilizing version 10.4, although it's a few iterations behind the most recent release. We're actively preparing to undertake an upgrade in the near future.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a quite stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If you want to scale it for larger use cases, like sharding, you'd need to consider MariaDB SkySQL or Xpand, which is a separate product designed for cloud deployments. So, for realistic scalability, especially in the cloud, you might need to use MariaDB SkySQL.
We have a couple of hundred users currently working with the database. It's probably around 400.
How was the initial setup?
It's currently deployed on-premises, but we're planning to move it to the cloud in the future.
What about the implementation team?
It's not difficult to maintain. It does require some maintenance, but it's very stable. You don't really need to intervene much, so it's quite stable. The main maintenance we do is patching and upgrading once a year. So it's not too taxing to maintain.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used MySQL or Oracle products.
MariaDB, being open source, is a significant advantage, especially considering we use the enterprise edition. It's considerably much cheaper than Oracle, which is a proprietary database with high licensing costs. So, from a financial perspective, MariaDB is far more economical.
Another advantage lies in its robust online community, simplifying troubleshooting and assistance. While we do have enterprise support, the online community and resources are quite valuable.
As for cons, due to fewer contributors compared to other databases like MariaDB, certain features might experience slower development. Amazon and MariaDB Corporation are among the contributors, but it's an area that could use more attention. However, overall, MariaDB remains a strong choice.
What other advice do I have?
MariaDB emerged as a distinct entity originating from MySQL, rather than being an inherent part of it. Formed in 2009 due to apprehensions that Oracle Corporation might negatively impact MySQL, which they acquired in 2010.
When deciding between MySQL and MariaDB, the feature disparity is minimal. MySQL has adeptly upheld compatibility since the transition, making it primarily a matter of personal preference. Some features differ between MariaDB and MySQL, catering to unique preferences.
In essence, MariaDB is a highly favored relational database, a commendable choice within the relational database realm. For those seeking a relational database, MariaDB stands as a solid option. As for purchasing a database, MariaDB comes highly recommended. It claims the second-highest rank globally and holds the second spot in the DB-Engines ranking. MongoDB ranks a bit lower, but the choice between the two is essentially equivalent.
On the whole, I would assign a rating of seven out of ten to this solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CTO at Gantek
Easy to setup, User friendly, and helpful technical support
Pros and Cons
- "This solution is user-friendly."
- "In the next release, I would like to see improvements in the scalability and redundancy features."
What is our primary use case?
We are not using MariaDB alone, it is being used with other applications such as ServiceNow.
We are focusing on the underlying database of ServiceNow.
We provide our customers with complete solutions that include implementation, support, and training.
Currently, our customers are on-premises and they have not yet considered this solution for on cloud deployment.
What is most valuable?
This solution is user-friendly. It's easy, and similar to MySQL.
What needs improvement?
Some areas where this product could be improved are in the clustering technologies, redundancy, active-active deployment model, and also monitoring the backup and restore solution to the cloud.
They have made some enhancements on the product but I think that scalability and redundancies are a concern for the entire team. In the next release, I would like to see improvements in the scalability and redundancy features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for almost two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This solution is scalable.
It is not suitable for mission-critical applications, but it is stable for other applications.
How are customer service and technical support?
We had a customer who was fronting MariaDB with ServiceNow and we were not able to help her with a specific situation. We contacted customer service technical support and they were very good. They were able to solve our issue in a short time.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy and straightforward.
The deployment took a day.
What other advice do I have?
We are resellers but we are willing to be partners with MariaDB.
Before starting with the implementation and deployment you should read the guide.
You should look at the suggested tips, tricks, clues, and the requirements to avoid having any problems.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Manager at Melones Oil Terminal
Open-source, very similar to MySQL and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
- "It's open source."
- "I’m not sure if it can scale."
What is our primary use case?
I installed the solution here in the company when they required MySQL. I tried MariaDB instead, and it works fine due to the fact that MariaDB is an exact clone of some parts of MySQL. It also has a database for a help desk solution, called a GPLI.
What is most valuable?
It's open source. It's freeware. It's very similar to MySQL. MySQL is a very good database management system, a relational database management system. However, the problem, or the potential problem with MySQL, is that it is under Oracle's umbrella, and I want to be prepared in case it's being commercialized and closed.
MariaDB was created by the same creator of MySQL. However, before he sold it to, at that time, Sun Microsystems, it was later acquired by Oracle. It's the same creators. It's the same programmer. That's what I like.
It's a one-time installation and configuration, and then I almost forgot about it. What I like is that it's very easy to configure, and just from time to time, you can make your backups, and that's it.
What needs improvement?
I don’t have any particular issue with the solution. It works well for my purposes.
I’m not sure if it can scale, so I’m not sure how it would fare for significant companies. I know that MariaDB has a cluster solution that I don't need at the moment. Probably, it would be a good idea to have a way just to confirm that the cluster is available for when I require scaling.
For how long have I used the solution?
We’ve been using the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It’s quite stable. I haven’t had issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable. It’s very similar to MySQL.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I’m not sure if it is scalable. Scalability doesn’t affect me as I am only using one application. I don’t require any scaling capabilities.
Indirectly through the help desk solution, the whole company has about 60 plus users on this product.
How are customer service and support?
It's open source and freeware. The support that I receive is in the forums and the blocks in the internal information. You can’t call or email someone at MariaDB.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use SQL Server Express, MySQL Fork, and SQLite.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is simple. It’s as easy as setting up MySQL.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This product is open-source and free to use.
What other advice do I have?
I am just a customer and an end-user.
I'm not sure right now which version we are on.
Whether or not this is a good solution for a user depends on usage. You need to be sure that this is the solution for you. I'm not going to scale up, which is why it's my current solution. If I had to scale, I’m unsure if this would fit.
I’d rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Software Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
An open-source solution offering sharding and concurrent connections with cross-functional GUIs
What is our primary use case?
We use MariaDB for any instance where we need faster retrieval and processing rates, such as establishing relationships between data entities through entity relationship mapping. MariaDB is our preference for structured data, like user details or product information. However, for handling non-structured data, such as metadata, we prefer DynamoDB or MongoDB.
How has it helped my organization?
What is most valuable?
MariaDB is inherently faster than MySQL database. However, given the opportunity, our team would have likely chosen Postgres for better performance in terms of concurrency, etc.
MariaDB is likely less resource-intensive than Postgres and other RDMS solutions because it offers only a subset of features.
What needs improvement?
Concurrency is a challenge in MariaDB.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using MariaDB for a year.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Ten engineers are using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
It's open source, but there are no dedicated technical support resources.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment should be easier because we use AWS EC2 instances to run and deploy the image and the services. It took a few hours to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's an open-source solution that only charges for a server database.
I rate the solution's pricing an eight or nine out of ten, where one is expensive, and ten is cheap.
What other advice do I have?
A few EC2 instances are running that solve the MySQL and the service.
Cross-functional GUIs are currently available. For example, we use DB Workbench, a solution that provides a GUI interface for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and several other databases.
It is seamless unless we want more advanced features, like simple database charting or event scheduling, which MariaDB doesn't support.
Our security team and platform team maintain security features. So, it depends on the type of protocols they use.
There are no particular challenges because the development kit, such as all the SD cases that are DB connectors, is well supported by Python and Java.
Our AI projects' data comes from non-relational sources like Mongo and Dynamo. Therefore, there's no direct correlation. However, MariaDB merely serves as a repository for information, such as profile data or some form of structured text (NTT), which can be displayed in tables or otherwise.
It depends on whether they prioritize performance and features. If so, they might prefer Postgres. However, MariaDB could be the better choice if they prioritize a time-tested solution and lower costs.
MariaDB offers more features than its competitors. It supports features like sharding and concurrent connections.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jun 3, 2024
Flag as inappropriateEasy to set up and works well with little configuration
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is that it uses multiple cores, which is better than some of the other databases."
- "When we have had issues with accidental computer shutdown or a power outage, our MariaDB database was corrupted."
What is our primary use case?
Our software development team uses MariaDB and other databases as the storage facility for some of our applications.
What is most valuable?
Initially, we liked this solution because it is a drop-in replacement for MySQL.
The most valuable feature is that it uses multiple cores, which is better than some of the other databases. When we have eight or sixteen cores, the utilization ratio is a bit higher than previous versions of MySQL. I think perhaps the enterprise version of MySQL may have better support, but the free version does not work as well as MariaDB. This is with the factory default settings.
What needs improvement?
Scalability is an area that needs to be improved.
When we have had issues with accidental computer shutdown or a power outage, our MariaDB database was corrupted. This did not happen with our Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server, so I think that there might be some differences in the database engine that better deals with these kinds of accidents.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with MariaDB for seven years, since 2013.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not experienced much in terms of instability. We have been running our instance since 2013 and it needs almost no maintenance. You just install it and forget it. It's that easy.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
MariaDB works with just a little configuration for a small dataset, but it does not scale as well as Oracle of Microsoft SQL Server in our applications. For example, additional manual configuration or tweaks are needed so that a query will return in a reasonable time when there is a high volume of records.
Our client has between 10 and 30 concurrent users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Getting proper support is sometimes difficult because when you have a technical issue and use Google to try and find a solution, there will be millions of results. You have to tackle it by yourself but even if there is the same error message, you can try every posted solution and it still might not work. There is not a single source of truth that you can rely on.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and I think that the installation can be completed in a couple of minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We have our own team for deployment and maintenance.
What other advice do I have?
I think that for a small team of fewer than ten people, such as a couple of developers, MariaDB is a very easy start. When the team size grows or when the complexity of the application grows, you might need to try other options such as Ingres or MySQL. In our case, at the very beginning, MariaDB covered almost every technical requirement for releasing version one of our application.
It is definitely a good start. Once the product has grown to a point where the developers know in which aspect MariaDB does not fulfill the requirements, then it's time to find a better match.
At this point, I cannot think of any additional features that I would like to see because most of what I want is already on the roadmap. I think that they plan to implement them one by one.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free MariaDB Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Popular Comparisons
MySQL
PostgreSQL
Firebird SQL
EDB Postgres Advanced Server
SQLite
Percona Server
ClickHouse
Buyer's Guide
Download our free MariaDB Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- When evaluating Open Source Databases, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- Did you switch from a different solution to MySQL? Can you list a few pros and cons for making the move?
- Which database is the best for session cashing?
- Which low-code (no-code) database solution do you prefer?
- Why is Open Source Databases important for companies?