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MySQL overview

KakaoCloud’s MySQL is a fully managed Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) based on the open-source MySQL Community Edition. Without complex setup or configuration, users can easily provision MySQL instances via the console and operate them securely within logically isolated VPC environments.

For more detailed information about MySQL, refer to the official MySQL documentation.

Terminology
  • Relational Database: A database system that structures data in tables and uses SQL to define and manipulate data.
  • RDBMS (Relational Database Management System): Software used to manage relational databases, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and more.

Supported versions​

KakaoCloud MySQL is based on the open-source MySQL Community Edition 8.0 and below. The latest supported version is 8.0.41. For full release details, please refer to the MySQL 8 Release Notes.

Features and support periods vary by version. Versions that have reached EOL (End of Life) no longer receive security patches, so please take extra care when using them. For more security information, see the official documentation.

Supported Engines & Versions
  • MySQL: 8.0.34, 8.0.41

Purpose and use cases​

MySQL is widely used as a reliable data store in systems requiring relational data models and data integrity. As an open-source solution supporting various operating systems and programming languages, it offers flexibility across many applications.

When self-hosting MySQL, users must manually handle infrastructure setup, security patches, upgrades, high availability configurations (e.g., clustering or replication), and incident response — which can become an operational burden.

In contrast, KakaoCloud’s MySQL service automates these tasks, allowing users to create and manage instances easily via the console. Features such as backup & restore, automated updates, and real-time monitoring create a more efficient database management environment.

MySQL’s lightweight architecture and fast performance make it well-suited for web and mobile applications. It is ideal for early-stage services and works well for read-heavy workloads such as user authentication, session management, e-commerce, and more. It is particularly effective in use cases requiring real-time response, including startups, small-scale services, game servers, and IoT data collection.

Key features​

Proven managed MySQL​

  • Provides pre-configured, battle-tested database settings used across Kakao’s internal services
  • Automates backup, updates, maintenance—allowing users to focus on writing SQL and managing permissions

Easy integration with computing services​

  • Seamlessly connects with VM, Kubernetes Engine, and more
  • Enables fast and secure private communication between applications and databases

Enhanced system stability and continuity​

  • High availability configurations can be enabled in just a few clicks
  • Services connected to MySQL communicate securely via private IPs for fast access
  • In case of failure, a synchronized standby instance activates immediately to minimize service disruption (Active-Standby)
  • Periodic, secure data backups are automatically performed

Automated updates​

  • Supports stable, verified MySQL versions and allows automated or manual control of update timing and method

Real-time monitoring​

  • Offers metrics for both system (e.g., CPU, memory usage) and database (e.g., connections, average response time) visibility

Wide range of instance types​

  • From lightweight instances for testing to high-performance types for heavy I/O workloads
  • Instance types can be easily changed and scaled to meet system demands

Strong security​

  • Databases are deployed on virtual machines within logically isolated VPCs to block unauthorized external access
  • Security groups can be applied to database instances to restrict access to specific IP ranges

Getting started​

Detailed guides for using MySQL can be found in the How-to Guides.
If you're new to KakaoCloud, visit Getting Started with KakaoCloud for more information.