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Managing Disk Space by Handling Binlog and Temporary Files in MySQL

Overview

After a system upgrade, you may notice large temporary and binlog files consuming disk space. Binlog files are essential for database recovery and replication, and should not be deleted manually. This article provides guidance on enabling automatic purging of binlog files and safely removing unnecessary temporary files.

Information

To manage binlog files and prevent disk space issues, follow these steps:

  1. Verify Recent Backups: Ensure you have recent backups of your database before making any changes.
  2. Check Automatic Purging: Run the following command to check if automatic purging is enabled:
    SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'expire_logs_days';
    If the value is 0, automatic purging is disabled.
  3. Enable Automatic Purging: Add the following to your MySQL configuration file to enable automatic purging: 
    [mysqld]
    expire_logs_days = 7  # Adjust this value based on your needs
  4. Apply the Setting Immediately: Execute the following command to apply the setting without restarting MySQL: 
    SET GLOBAL expire_logs_days = 7;
  5. Manually Purge Old Binlog Files: If necessary, manually purge old binlog files using one of the following commands: 
    -- Remove logs older than 7 days
    PURGE BINARY LOGS BEFORE DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY);
    -- Or remove specific files (adjust filename as needed)
    PURGE BINARY LOGS TO 'binlog.000154';

Important: Before purging binlog files, ensure you have a recent backup, verify you're not using replication, and confirm you don't need point-in-time recovery for the period covered by these logs.

To remove unnecessary temporary files like keyword1_data.sql, verify that your system is functioning correctly and then delete the file to reclaim disk space.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are binlog files used for?
Binlog files are used for database recovery, replication, and point-in-time recovery. They contain MySQL's transaction history.
How can I enable automatic purging of binlog files?
Add expire_logs_days = 7 to your MySQL configuration file under [mysqld] and apply the setting with SET GLOBAL expire_logs_days = 7;.
Can I safely delete the keyword1_data.sql file?
Yes, after verifying that your system is functioning correctly, you can safely remove the keyword1_data.sql file to reclaim disk space.
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  1. Priyanka Bhotika

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