The wait is over! TiDB 8.1.0, the latest Long-Term Support (LTS) release, just arrived on May 24th, 2024, bringing a wave of innovation to the distributed SQL database landscape. This blog delves deep into the exciting features and improvements that solidify TiDB's position as a leading database solution.

TiDB 8.1.0: A Fresh Wave of Innovation in Distributed SQL Databases

The TiDB 8.1.0 release brings a multitude of enhancements across performance, scalability, reliability, and security, making it a powerhouse for modern database needs. As an LTS (Long-Term Support) release, it combines innovations from versions 7.6.0 and 8.0.0, ensuring a stable and robust platform.

Performance and Scalability Boosters

• Cluster Snapshot Restore Acceleration: This feature significantly speeds up restore processes, making them 8-10 times faster by utilizing all TiKV nodes for data preparation, thus enhancing overall efficiency.
• Batch Table Creation: The new DDL architecture supports batch table creation up to 10 times faster, crucial for SaaS applications with a high number of tables.
• Active PD Followers: This enhancement improves the ability to handle region information queries, reducing CPU pressure on PD leaders and improving cluster performance.

Reliability and Availability Fortifications

• Global Sort: This feature enhances stability and efficiency during data import and index creation, by globally sorting the data to be processed.
• Cross-Database SQL Binding: This simplifies the management of SQL bindings across databases with identical schemas, making operations smoother and more consistent. This benefits SAAS & PAAS applications.
• TiProxy Support: This provides connection stability during rolling restarts and upgrades, ensuring minimal disruption to database services.

Resource Management Granularity with Query Resource Management

• Query Resource Management: This feature automatically detects and controls resource-intensive queries to maintain overall database performance and prevent resource hogging.

Improved Observability with Index Usage Statistics

• Index Usage Statistics: The new table INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TIDB_INDEX_USAGE and view sys.schema_unused_indexes are introduced to monitor index usage, aiding in optimization and performance tuning.

Streamlined Data Migration Enhancements

• DM Support for MySQL 8.0: Enhanced support for MySQL 8.0 ensures stable and reliable data migration, crucial for production environments.
• TiCDC Protocols: New support for Simple and Debezium formats in TiCDC enhances data change event publishing to Kafka, facilitating smoother data integration.

Robust Security Features for Enhanced Protection

• Log Desensitization: New features enable marking and securing sensitive data within logs, enhancing data security and compliance.

• Client Authentication: Supports mutual TLS and username/password authentication for TiCDC clients, ensuring secure connections.

Compatibility Changes

• Removal of the forceRebase behavior for AUTO_ID_CACHE=1 (centralized auto-increment ID allocation) tables , ensures smooth operations and compatibility.

Improvements and Bug fixes

• There has 20+ improvements with cluster components and tools to improve the performance and stability
• 78 bugs has been fixing in TiDB, TiKV, PD ,TiFlash and tooling.

These are some of key features with this release, you can also refer the release notes for more insights and details.

TiDB 8.1.0 marks a significant step forward in the evolution of distributed SQL databases TiDB, offering improved performance, enhanced reliability, and robust security features. These updates solidify TiDB’s position as a leading choice for businesses seeking scalable, efficient, and secure database solutions.

Don't miss out on the potential of TiDB 8.1.0! Mydbops offers expert TiDB Consulting and Remote DBA services to help you optimize your database environment and unlock peak performance. Contact us today and leverage the power of TiDB 8.1.0!

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