What is our primary use case?
We use the product for database management, as a database engine.
What is most valuable?
We use it for different projects, mainly when we have lots of data and the customer can't afford to pay the license of SQL Server, which is not a cheap one.
That's the main reason you use MySQL or Postgres or other databases. It's less expensive.
The solution is stable.
The scalability is very good.
It's a mature solution that's been around for decades.
It is very easy to set up the product.
What needs improvement?
The support in MySQL is horrible.
It isn't as reliable as an SQL Server.
I don't see MySQL being improved at all, like in the last 10 years. It has been at the same level for a long time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Its stability is quite good. There are no bugs or glitches. it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable, however, sometimes you might have issues. You need to have the knowledge to make sure that you can scale. That said, there are a lot of used MySQL implementations all around the world, which shows that it's a proven product. It has been there for more than 20 years or so.
How are customer service and support?
The support is not ideal. It could be better. It runs under Oracle, and Oracle support is not the best company when it comes to supporting - especially since MySQL used to be a free, open-source solution, and remains free. Oracle doesn't have this approach in its DNA. It's an enterprise and they're not into open-source ways of working. That's why sometimes we move from MySQL to Postgres, which is similar yet has the support in the community.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've also used Postgre and SQL Server.
This product is not as solid as SQL Server. It's not like it's a lesser quality thing, however, it's not as reliable as SQL Server. The engine is a whole different engine. SQL Server is a full-featured database engine, and MySQL is based on what we call a file-based database. It's like flat files as a database engine, so it's an underdog, if you can call it that, when it comes to database engines. That said, it works fine.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not that complex. It's simple and straightforward for the most part.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is open-source. We don't pay for it.
There are options to get professional support from Oracle and, for that, the pricing really comes up, therefore, it's not competitive anymore. For that reason, it might be even wiser to get Oracle Database than get MySQL and pay for the premium support.
What other advice do I have?
We are just end-users. However, we are happy to work with them.
With Microsoft, we are a customer, partner, and vendor. We aren't partners with Oracle.
I would rate the solution at a six out of ten.
They just need to assign a great team to MySQL, basically, and Oracle should just leave them alone to improve the product as the product hasn't been improved in the last 10 years. Since Oracle acquired it, it has been in decline. They need to do a lot, not in terms of features. In terms of the mindset.
I would recommend Postgres which is similar to MySQL, over this product. Even the clients are coming to us with such requests. They will flat-out tell us: "we hear that MySQL is having issues and we don't want to deal with Oracle and all that kind of stuff, so let's use Postgres." It's easy to migrate over. It's almost seamless, which makes it a very attractive option.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.