UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Folks;
i have mysql installed on Solaris box (sparc).
The problem is under /opt/mysql/data directory, there's a log file that grows very fast & becomes a huge size.
Is there a way to stop the logging under the data directory so i don't have the issue of running out of space?

Your help will be a greatly appreciated.

Sure. There are several kinds of log files used by mysql and you need to know the exact kind of log file in order to have the correct directive placed in the mysql configuration (my.cnf) to control log behaviour.

A list of options:
MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual :: 5.2.1 Option and Variable Reference

Say "log-bin" refers to binary log. On many systems it is enabled by default. There are other kinds of log files.

Of course, making the log file a symbolic link to /dev/null may work. It just ain't that pretty.

Thanks, but i still have issues:
1. The list you sent me is big & i'm not sure which is which.

2. under /data i see three log files:
ib_logfile0,
ib_logfile1
server_name.log

Server_name.log is the one who's growing so big and i don't what type of log file is it?

You mentioned something about directing this log file to /dev/null, would that keep the log file from getting so big or only will move the file content somewhere else?

MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual :: 5.11.2 The General Query Log

You should find out why the general query log is enabled. It is disabled by default so probably some of your init scripts call it with the --log option. If that is the case, disabling it in the my.cnf may probably not work and you have to remove it from the script. But first check my.cnf then.

/dev/null points to the black hole. Anything written to it is simply discarded and will not take space, because they are gone.

Thanks but the issue is i don't have my.cnf, i have these:
my-large.cnf
my-medium.cnf
my-small.cnf

plus (execuse me for being that way as i'm not familiar with myswl) i don't know which init script i can find this in

- Not sure where are you searching configuration file;you may find my.cnf in /etc directory.
- may be the init script would be /etc/init.d/mysql

-ilan

How is your mysql started? From an init script, by hand? I don't use Solaris so you are expected to know how is mysql started on your system. If mysql is started from some init script and there is the '--log' switch given on the command, remove it. Either way, make sure the '--log' option has not been specified anywhere.

You should do some reading about how mysql is configured as there are so many ways to configure mysql and it is impossible for us here to know exactly the configuration of yours. But I know that due to size, this query log is not on by default, so if it is on on your system, that means the option must have been specified somewhere. Do a search on it.

MySQL AB :: MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual :: 4.3 Specifying Program Options