Tungsten Cluster v8: Expanding Enterprise-Grade MySQL High Availability with Powerful New Features and Tools

We’re excited to announce the general availability of Tungsten Cluster version 8 — a powerful upgrade designed to make MySQL and MariaDB high availability, disaster recovery, and hybrid cloud operations easier, more secure, and more efficient than ever. With over 30 new features, 40+ bug fixes, and full compatibility with MySQL 8.4, Tungsten v8 delivers next-generation automation, enhanced monitoring, and stronger performance at scale.

“With Tungsten version 8, we’ve made the system even smarter, more secure and more efficient by enhancing stability, automation, monitoring and compatibility with newer MySQL versions.”

Eero Teerikorpi, Founder and CEO of Continuent

What’s New in Tungsten Cluster v8?

Tungsten v8 builds on the hybrid cloud and topology flexibility introduced in version 7, adding powerful new tools and safeguards for mission-critical deployments across industries — from SaaS and global e-commerce to financial services and telecom.

Easier Setup and Smarter Automation

Managing complex clustering environments is now simpler thanks to expanded CLI and REST API tools. From provisioning to configuration and diagnostics, automation in v8 reduces manual work and increases operational speed.

Highlights:

• New tpm post-process --statemap command automates updates to default configuration mappings.
• New tpm ini command makes it easier to create, validate, and manage tungsten.ini files.
• tapi command enhancements:
  • Supports API v8 and cross-version access.
  • Can now provision MySQL or PostgreSQL targets with JSON or CLI input.
• Connector REST API now includes Advanced Listener management.
• New group aliases in tpm streamline bulk configuration across components.

These features enable teams to script deployments, automate common tasks, and react to issues faster — improving system stability and reducing operational overhead.

Stronger Security and Better Compatibility

Security and compatibility are at the core of Tungsten v8. The system now uses log4j v2 for better log management, protects against overload from misconfigured apps, and enforces least-privilege principles for safer cluster operations.

Highlights:

• Protection against traffic floods from apps repeatedly connecting to internal ports.
• Improved certificate handling via the tpm cert gen public and tpm cert list public commands.
• New TPM check to block CONNECTION_ADMIN privilege inappropriately assigned to MySQL users.
• Enforced credential requirements for all REST API interfaces.
• Diagnostic tools (tungsten_send_diag) now accept security keys on the command line.
  Connector compatibility with the new MySQL 8.4 SHOW REPLICA STATUS syntax.

With these updates, Tungsten v8 is not only more secure out of the box, but also easier to harden for compliance with modern security standards.

Faster and More Reliable Performance

System performance under pressure is critical — and Tungsten v8 delivers. Key services like the Manager and Replicator now receive priority CPU scheduling, helping reduce latency during heavy system load.

Highlights:

• Priority processing for core services using systemd nice values or manual renice for non-systemd systems.
• Automatic detection of primary node config by Connector for more reliable behavior.
• Replica provisioning enhancements:
  • When using mysqldump, replicas enter offline mode to prevent write conflicts during loading.
  • Faster recovery times and improved provisioning reliability.

These enhancements translate to more resilient clustering and faster recovery — reducing downtime during failure events or maintenance.

Improved Tools for Everyday Use

Daily maintenance and monitoring tasks are easier with updates that address long-standing usability gaps and introduce more robust tooling.

Highlights:

• Hyphen support in dataservice names via tpm.
• Cross-dialect Listener support (MySQL/PostgreSQL) through the new protocol setting.
• Improved API feedback: shun operations now validate the existence of target data sources.
• Removed sigtrap dependency from tungsten_find_orphaned, reducing system complexity.
• Additional validation in tprovision improves error detection when using parallel apply mode.

These refinements empower database admins with better visibility, control, and consistency across complex environments.

Release Notes

You can learn more about Tungsten Cluster v8 release in the release notes.

Why Upgrade to Tungsten Cluster v8?

If your business depends on high availability and disaster recovery for MySQL or MariaDB — especially in hybrid or cloud-native environments — Tungsten v8 is a must-have. It simplifies deployment, secures your infrastructure, and makes your operations more resilient and efficient.

Tungsten Cluster v8 is now generally available. Existing customers can download the latest version from the Downloads section of our website.

Ready to Experience Tungsten v8?

Whether you're scaling across regions, migrating to MySQL 8.4, or looking to harden your current setup, Tungsten Cluster v8 gives you the tools to do more — faster and with fewer headaches.

Questions or Want a Demo?

Contact our team to learn more about how Tungsten can help you modernize your MySQL infrastructure.