The Best MySQL Active/Active Solution Gets Better!

Introduction

The best MySQL active/active solution gets better and better over time!

Continuent’s Tungsten Cluster has long set the bar for true active/active MySQL replication. Building on the foundation and features of version 7 (released in 2023), the newly launched version 8 adds, another layer of power, flexibility, and future-proofing — making it even easier for teams to keep critical data online, consistent, and ready for growth. Below is a concise look at what each major release delivers and why it matters.

Highlights From Tungsten Cluster v7

• Dynamic Active-Active Distributed Data Groups (DDG): You can now segment nodes into logical data-source groups inside a single cluster, giving you finer control over where reads and writes go without sacrificing transparent failover.
• Connector-based write affinity: A new proxy mode lets you pin writes to a preferred cluster while still balancing reads, simplifying global applications that need stable write targets.
• Public REST API v2 and revamped Dashboard: All management functions are now exposed programmatically, and the UI was rebuilt on this API for faster status views and one-click actions.
• Expanded backup & recovery: Built-in support for mysqlclone, two-pass rsync, and incremental mariabackup reduces RPO/RTO and removes one-off scripting.
• Security first: Certificate management (tpm cert), on-disk THL encryption, and audit logging in the Connector help meet modern compliance rules out of the box.
• Automation boosters: Sixteen new CLI commands — from tungsten_get_status to tpm purge-thl — slash routine administration time and pave the way for fully unattended operations.

Business Impact of v7

• Future-proof compatibility — validated on MySQL 8.0, MariaDB 10.3+, Java 17 LTS, TLS 1.3, Ruby 3.2, IPv6, and ARM64 so you can modernize your stack when you’re ready.
• Enhance availability through smarter topologies, connector dual passwords, and dynamic auto-recovery controls.
• Lower operational overhead thanks to API-driven tooling and granular observability you can feed into Prometheus or your own dashboards.

What Tungsten Cluster v8 Adds on Top

• Polished UX: A new Dashboard UI brings real-time graphs, role-based access, token authentication, and full SSL — all deployable with a simple Docker Compose or Helm chart.
• Kubernetes Operator: Declaratively spin up, scale, and heal clusters inside K8s; the operator reconciles storage, performs automated failover, and even fences misbehaving nodes for you.
• REST API v8 & CLI upgrades: Endpoints now surface advanced listener configs, THL apply controls, and the brand-new tpm ini command for single-source configuration management.
• 30 new features & 40 bug fixes: These include Connector protocol switching (MySQL/PostgreSQL dialects), higher CPU priority for Manager/Replicator services, and dynamic THL transfer tuning — all tested and shipped April 28 2025.
• Enterprise-grade dependencies: Upgrades to log4j v2, Drools 7.74, and JGroups 4.2.30 eliminate CVEs while adding performance optimizations; MySQL 8.4 is officially certified.
• Stronger automation & safety rails: tpm cert now manages public keys, tapi provisions database targets through JSON, and new API checks guard against mis-shun or bad privilege assignments.

Why v8 Matters to Your Business

• Cloud-native readiness — the Operator plus REST hooks let you blend stateful MySQL with GitOps pipelines, auto-scaling, and service meshes.
• Security without effort — log4j2, certificate automation, and protocol-level listener controls keep auditors happy while cutting manual keystrokes.
• Performance headroom — reniced systemd units, on-the-fly THL tuning, and compatibility with MySQL 8.4 ensure low-latency writes even under burst traffic.

Putting It All Together

Whether you’re still on v6 or already enjoying v7, upgrading to the newest Tungsten v8 release is the fastest path to:

• Zero-downtime MySQL active/active architectures that flex from bare-metal to Kubernetes
• Worry-Free Operations: Self-healing services and richer observability dramatically reduce after-hours incidents and simplify management.
• Simplified Compliance & Upgrades: First-party security tooling and future-ready libraries streamline compliance and accelerate upgrade cycles.

Final Thoughts

Continuent support includes hands-on planning and assisted cutover, typically with negligible application downtime. If “always-on MySQL” is core to your roadmap, Tungsten Cluster v8 isn’t just an incremental release — it’s the next generation of resilient, compliant, and automation-friendly data infrastructure.

Smooth Sailing! ⛵