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How to create and manage read replicas in Azure Database for MariaDB using the Azure CLI and REST API

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Important

Azure Database for MariaDB is on the retirement path. We strongly recommend that you migrate to Azure Database for MySQL. For more information about migrating to Azure Database for MySQL, see What's happening to Azure Database for MariaDB?.

In this article, you will learn how to create and manage read replicas in the Azure Database for MariaDB service using the Azure CLI and REST API.

Azure CLI

You can create and manage read replicas using the Azure CLI.

Prerequisites

Important

The read replica feature is only available for Azure Database for MariaDB servers in the General Purpose or Memory Optimized pricing tiers. Ensure the source server is in one of these pricing tiers.

Create a read replica

Important

When you create a replica for a source that has no existing replicas, the source will first restart to prepare itself for replication. Take this into consideration and perform these operations during an off-peak period.

A read replica server can be created using the following command:

az mariadb server replica create --name mydemoreplicaserver --source-server mydemoserver --resource-group myresourcegroup

The az mariadb server replica create command requires the following parameters:

Setting Example value Description  
resource-group  myresourcegroup  The resource group where the replica server will be created to. 
name mydemoreplicaserver The name of the new replica server that is created.
source-server mydemoserver The name or ID of the existing source server to replicate from.

To create a cross region read replica, use the --location parameter.

The CLI example below creates the replica in West US.

az mariadb server replica create --name mydemoreplicaserver --source-server mydemoserver --resource-group myresourcegroup --location westus

Note

To learn more about which regions you can create a replica in, visit the read replica concepts article.

Note

Read replicas are created with the same server configuration as the master. The replica server configuration can be changed after it has been created. It is recommended that the replica server's configuration should be kept at equal or greater values than the source to ensure the replica is able to keep up with the master.

List replicas for a source server

To view all replicas for a given source server, run the following command:

az mariadb server replica list --server-name mydemoserver --resource-group myresourcegroup

The az mariadb server replica list command requires the following parameters:

Setting Example value Description  
resource-group  myresourcegroup  The resource group where the replica server will be created to. 
server-name mydemoserver The name or ID of the source server.

Stop replication to a replica server

Important

Stopping replication to a server is irreversible. Once replication has stopped between a source and replica, it cannot be undone. The replica server then becomes a standalone server and now supports both read and writes. This server cannot be made into a replica again.

Replication to a read replica server can be stopped using the following command:

az mariadb server replica stop --name mydemoreplicaserver --resource-group myresourcegroup

The az mariadb server replica stop command requires the following parameters:

Setting Example value Description  
resource-group  myresourcegroup  The resource group where the replica server exists. 
name mydemoreplicaserver The name of the replica server to stop replication on.

Delete a replica server

Deleting a read replica server can be done by running the az mariadb server delete command.

az mariadb server delete --resource-group myresourcegroup --name mydemoreplicaserver

Delete a source server

Important

Deleting a source server stops replication to all replica servers and deletes the source server itself. Replica servers become standalone servers that now support both read and writes.

To delete a source server, you can run the az mariadb server delete command.

az mariadb server delete --resource-group myresourcegroup --name mydemoserver

REST API

You can create and manage read replicas using the Azure REST API.

Create a read replica

You can create a read replica by using the create API:

PUT https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers/{replicaName}?api-version=2017-12-01

{
  "location": "southeastasia",
  "properties": {
    "createMode": "Replica",
    "sourceServerId": "/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers/{masterServerName}"
  }
}

Note

To learn more about which regions you can create a replica in, visit the read replica concepts article.

If you haven't set the azure.replication_support parameter to REPLICA on a General Purpose or Memory Optimized source server and restarted the server, you receive an error. Complete those two steps before you create a replica.

A replica is created by using the same compute and storage settings as the master. After a replica is created, several settings can be changed independently from the source server: compute generation, vCores, storage, and back-up retention period. The pricing tier can also be changed independently, except to or from the Basic tier.

Important

Before a source server setting is updated to a new value, update the replica setting to an equal or greater value. This action helps the replica keep up with any changes made to the master.

List replicas

You can view the list of replicas of a source server using the replica list API:

GET https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers/{masterServerName}/Replicas?api-version=2017-12-01

Stop replication to a replica server

You can stop replication between a source server and a read replica by using the update API.

After you stop replication to a source server and a read replica, it can't be undone. The read replica becomes a standalone server that supports both reads and writes. The standalone server can't be made into a replica again.

PATCH https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers/{masterServerName}?api-version=2017-12-01

{
  "properties": {
    "replicationRole":"None"  
   }
}

Delete a source or replica server

To delete a source or replica server, you use the delete API:

When you delete a source server, replication to all read replicas is stopped. The read replicas become standalone servers that now support both reads and writes.

DELETE https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.DBforMariaDB/servers/{serverName}?api-version=2017-12-01

Next steps