My So-Called Blog

I’ve written an article highlighting some recent developments with XML support in MySQL 5.1 and MySQL 6.0. Topics include:

• Outputting MySQL data in XML format; includes a look at the 3^rd-party lib_mysqludf_xql library
• Getting XML into MySQL; includes a discussion of the LOAD XML statement (new in MySQL 6.0)
• The ExtractValue() and UpdateXML() functions (new in MySQL 5.1)
• Security issues, including a look at a little nasty known as “XPath injection”

You can read it at the MySQL Developer Zone.

Alexander Barkov contributed a nifty stored procedure and a very helpful pre-publication review. Thanks, Bar!

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A little over a year since the project to write this book began, the MySQL 5.1 Cluster Certification Study Guide is now at long last available. It covers everything you’ll need to know to pass the Certified MySQL Cluster 5.1 Database Administrator exam, including MySQL Cluster Concepts, Architecture, Configuration, Deployment, NDB Internals basics, High Availability techniques, Security Issues, and more.

(It does not cover MySQL Cluster 5.1 Carrier Grade Edition, for the simple reason that MCCGE features are not part of the official mainline MySQL 5.1 release. However, those features will be part of MySQL 6.0 [yes, MySQL 6.0 is already starting to happen, and there are already some cool new Cluster, Replication, and XML features in the 6.0 tree, but I’m starting to get off-topic here…], and there’s a good chance that there will be a 6.0 version of the certification course and book in a year or so.)

In addition to yours truly, the authors include NDB developer Stewart Smith, Pro MySQL author Mike Kruckenberg, and MySQL training course developer (and former MySQL certification exam developer) Roland Bouman. Roland also helped me edit and index. (Did I mention that this is my first official Editor credit? Yay.)

You can order your copy here, and still have time to read it and then get certified on MySQL 5.1 Cluster before MySQL 5.1 is GA.

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If you’re like me (and, gosh, I know that I am!), then you’ve probably been keeping CNN or BBCWorld bleating in the background waiting for them to dole out the latest bits on the latest member of the Nuclear Club. Fortunately — thanks to a tip from my good friend The Evil System Administrator — I’ve been reminded that there are some truly great minds out there, and one of them has come up with an elegant Endlösung that requires only a coffee can and a photo of Angelina Jolie. Now, that’s minimalist.

The good news: The North Koreans are rank amateurs. I’m sure we can all sleep easier now.

The bad news: I’ve only an empty coffee jar, and the Kill Bill and Kill Bill 2 DVD cases (thanks, Morgan!) with some stills of Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu on the back.

While I happen to think that Lucy makes Angelina look like Goat Chow, I doubt the effect would be the same.

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