Question

How can you safely shut down the MySQL server?

A) By using the "SHUTDOWN" command.
B) By unplugging the server from the power source.
C) By terminating the MySQL process.
D) By deleting the MySQL files.

Answer 1

To safely shut down a MySQL server, the SHUTDOWN command must be used through a MySQL client shell or using service management commands provided by the system like 'service mysql stop' or 'systemctl stop mysqld'. This ensures all data is securely written to disk, and prevents data loss or corruption.

Step-by-step explanation:

The safest way to shut down a MySQL server is by using the SHUTDOWN command. This command should be issued through a MySQL client where you have the necessary privileges. The SHUTDOWN command will ensure that all data is safely written to disk and that MySQL shuts down gracefully without risking any data corruption that may occur if you were to abruptly terminate the MySQL process or delete MySQL files.

To use this command, you would typically access your MySQL server shell and input:

mysql> SHUTDOWN;

This action properly closes all open tables and stops the MySQL server. It is important to have the appropriate privileges to execute this command.

Alternatively, you can use your service management commands provided by your operating system, such as:

sudo service mysql stop

Or on systems using systemd:

sudo systemctl stop mysqld

Both methods are also considered safe ways to stop the MySQL server. You should never unplug the server from the power source or delete the MySQL files to shut down a MySQL server, as these methods can cause data loss and corruption.