still only MySQL v4?

[#1]

Am I missing something or is Plusnet still only offering MySQL v4?  The latest version of Gallery, v3, requires MySQL 5.
When I searched this forum to see if this question had been asked before I found a thread dated 2007 where a few people asked for v5:
  http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,1932.0.html
Is Plusnet really that far behind, two years on and they area still on v4,  or am I just showing my ignorance
stuck

[#2]

Hosting isn't available to new users so this is a very, very, very low priority.

[#3]

Which is a polite way of saying it's never going to happen because there is no money in it.
OK, I can live with that now that I know.
stuck

[#4]

Quote from: stuck

Which is a polite way of saying it's never going to happen because there is no money in it.

We actually looked into this late last year, around November time IIRC.
Assuming we pick the work up this year, then you *can* expect an upgrade to MySQL 5 at some point.
We got as far as debating how we'd handle the switchover last time round. The way we saw it there were a few alternatives.
'Big bang' switchover
Communicate to customers that on a certain date in the future in an out of hours maintenance window, the SQL servers will be taken down, replaced with new hardware and upgraded to MySQL5. This is the quickest option but probably has the propensity to cause the most impact on customers/the support centre.
Run two full instances in parallel
Replace the current hardware in an out of hours maintenance window and take a cut of data. Bring the new server up with the MySQL 4 instance on the original server IP and also dump the data into a MySQL5 instance on a new IP for customers to test their sites against. After a predetermined period of time we could then make some DNS/server changes to point everything at the v5 instance.
Run two instances and rely on customers migrating their own data across
This would be the same as above, but instead of dumping every customers data in the MySQL5 instance, it would just be a blank database and it would be the customers responsibility to port their data across. They can then either delete their v4 database themselves or wait for us to decommission the service.
Virtualised platform
The least likely of the options, but something that was discussed nonetheless. It involved building a new virtualised platform to replace all of our dynamic hosting services including the CGI platform, MySQL and phpMyAdmin.
My personal preference would probably be the second option, however I have to admit to having never had any experience upgrading the MySQL database a site uses from v4 to v5?
If anyone has any thoughts/opinions then feel free to voice them and I'll make sure they get seen if/when the work is picked up again...

[#5]

I think from a customers point of view it would be best to run both instances together and inform anyone with a MySQL db that on x date the old database will be down, I think the migration of users data by plusnet will be an unneccessary strain on support since they are not there to support individual website code.
Either way, would be nice to have an update.

[#6]

Following release of WordPress 3.2 which requires MySQL 5.0 or better (though at the moment can be patched to work with MySQL 4.1 - see here) I hope upgrading MySQL to version 5.x will become higher priority.
My impression is that the major changes following upgrade from v4.1 to 5.x concern the administration tables which are managed by Plusnet. However I believe customers will be faced with a password hash change from 16 to 41 characters. It might be possible to use a search and replace script to make that change in user code. However I think users should run that themselves (if desired) so they have a record of the changes.
Concerning managing of the upgrade I think my preference would be the third one in Bob's post Run two instances and rely on customers migrating their own data across. However I think a script needs to be provided to help users migrate their data. My thinking is based on the second option being not quite what is seems to be - ie at the instant of creation the v4.1 and v5.x databases will contain identical data, but subsequent changes to either database will *not* be replicated so they do not remain identical. If the v4.1 database remained as the master - as seems likely - that would have to be migrated again when the user decides to switch to v5.x permanently. Requiring the user to trial that process for initial testing will give confidence it should work for the final switch - and the user can change whenever he/she is ready.
David

[#7]

Seconded.
So any progress on this?

[#8]

No progress whatsoever as far as I am aware.
However concerning passwords, having further researched this I don't think it will be necessary for users to change passwords entered on connect statements. The password hash might change but that would be internal to MySQL and handled by Plusnet.

[#9]

Bob,
Thanks for the options and looking into this.
I don't mind how the migration is done as long as there is enough notice to prepare for the move. I'm happy with moving data and configuration as it's part of my day job.
My main interest in moving to MySQL5 is the requirement for Wordpress 3.2 to run on it.  Yes, I know it can be patched to 4.1 but if there's a new version that's been released for a while and is stable then it would be good to get onto it.

[#10]

I'm was thinking about running a wordpress site.  Could you tell me if the MySQL has been upgraded and I can run the latest version of wordpress?

[#11]

MySQL is still version 4.1.11. As far as I'm aware the last statement from Plusnet on upgrading to MySQL 5.x is that in Reply 3 in this thread.
It is possible to install WordPress 3.2.x using the version-requirement bypass mentioned in the Wordpress 3.2 stickied post at the top of this forum. However a different bypass would be needed for automated upgrades and upgraded files are likely to nullify the attempt. Manual upgrade should succeed, but is a more complex process.

[#12]

Hi, Any further progress on this and the possibility of upgrading to MySQL v5?
thanks

[#13]

Options 2 or 3 look the most credible although option 3 might impact on your ticket count a tad unless you pre-empt it with some FAQs, how-to guides and appropriate scripts (could be worth the investment to save on support calls). Either way, this update is long overdue and an award winning ISP such as yourselves should not leave users reliant on the goodwill of community members to develop, test and then post unofficial hacks and workarounds so that those with hosting can keep our Wordpress sites running.
Too much pontificating, it is now time to bite the bullet and get on with it!
Andy

[#14]

Option 1! 
The only problem is the amount of time that mysql_upgrade will take to run, other than that I've progressively migrated from MySQL 3 to my current MySQL 5 setup with no hitches.
Option 3 is the logical one, but it will need revisiting when you have to chase the last few people off the very legacy server to turn it off.

[#15]

Hi Plusnet.
Please can you make some progress on the mysql upgrade ?  It is difficult for us to stick to good security principles by keeping up to date with wordpress releases when the underlying database is the stumbling block.
Pete