MySQL Advanced Edition
Last verified 17 Sep 2026
MySQL is an open source, object-relational database built with speed and reliability in mind. Its large and active developer community has created many third-party applications, tools, and libraries that expand MySQL’s functionality.
DigitalOcean MySQL Advanced Edition is a Managed MySQL architecture with consensus-based replication for coordinated failover and a proxy for routing to the current primary. It supports highly available workloads and vertical and horizontal scaling of database nodes.
Advanced Edition uses MySQL v8.4.
High Availability Architecture
MySQL Advanced Edition runs MySQL on managed cluster nodes. The nodes participate in consensus-based replication, which tracks group membership, automatically elects the primary after failures, and coordinates failover.
MySQL Advanced Edition uses a proxy to provide clients with a single, stable service endpoint. The proxy sits in front of the database nodes, tracks which are healthy, and forwards traffic to the current primary. When the primary changes, it shifts routing so that the hostname and port can stay the same while the backing node changes.
During a failover, active connections to the former primary may be interrupted, but applications that reconnect to the same endpoint are routed to the new primary automatically.
Key Differences
The following table shows the key differences between MySQL Standard and Advanced Edition clusters.
| Feature | MySQL Advanced Edition | MySQL Standard Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Replication model | Consensus-based replication (multi-node) | Primary-replica replication |
| Failover | Automatic primary election; proxy routes to the new primary without a DNS cutover wait | Automatic primary promotion; same connection settings; some clients may still reach a former primary until DNS updates propagate (TTL) |
| Connection endpoint | Proxy fronts the cluster; nodes move without the client changing parameters | Same hostname and parameters; which node those names resolve to after failover depends on DNS timing (possible stale answers or unreachable database until propagation completes) |
| Topology | Consensus-based replication with proxy | Primary-replica |
| Node configurations | 1- or 3-node only (2-node not supported; HA requires 3 nodes) | 1-, 2-, or 3-node |
| Best for | Workloads that benefit from proxy-fronted endpoints and managed replication | General-purpose managed MySQL workloads |
To create an Advanced Edition cluster, see How to Create MySQL Database Clusters. For limits and features, see MySQL Limits and MySQL Features.