MySQL Cluster supports online backups using the ndb_mgm client tool with the START BACKUP statement. If you omit the ID, it will take automatically the next value. Problem is that when you do a system restart, this ID is reset to 1. If you didn’t move your backups from your data nodes to another machine (which is of course something you should do), you might get errors. A rather easy trick is to provide a timestamp as ID, for example using Unix time.

20 years ago I played with our Atari and Nintendo NES consoles. Mario Bros., the first Zelda games, space invader-clones, .. they all timed out. Few years later I got introduced too BBS. Finally, after writing my first email using elm and pico, I mounted the Internet at the VUB (university). Today, after 12 years continuously online, I work for MySQL/Sun Microsystems, and I’m bored with the Internet. It’s as common as a telephone, as useful as a dictionary and sometimes as pretty as dog poop.

Using MySQL 5.1 you can log to tables when --log-output=TABLE is set. Both tables, mysql.general_log and mysql.slow_log, are created using the CSV engine. Problem here is that when you use mysqlhotcopy to backup the mysql database, you will get an error message saying the tables can’t be locked. shell> mysqlhotcopy mysqlDBD::mysql::db do failed: You can't use locks with log tables. at /usr/bin/mysqlhotcopy line 452. Solution or workaround, use a regular expression to ignore all tables which end with the string ‘_log’:

I’ve been pulling my (few) hairs out on this one, but when DHCP fails to work on some networks, it could mean you didn’t allow configd to accept incoming connections. When you connect to a new network, at start up, MacOS (at least in MacOS 10.5/Leopard) will ask you to allow or disallow incoming connections to configd. Allow it, otherwise it will not work! Well, that’s what I think.. The only solution I have right now is to disable the firewall.

Happy Bad Poetry Once furled, today we awake The dark days take a turn into Spring Here comes the sun, sparkling in the lake Unfolding our hearts and make us sing People walking, talking, running around Dogs bark and chase imaginary game The ice cracks, snow makes way for ground The melted water overflows the drain In between I am running and burning fat With Mr. Lazy lurking me back to bed Saying hello to each one, but feeling sad I’m contemplating this bad poetry in my head