Database Administration Tips

Ensure that all database servers and web servers are configured to be in the same timezone, regardless of where they are geographically located.
You should have different user accounts with different access permissions. These are typical:
- A root user with all permissions, accessed from a specific host only.
- For access from other web servers, one root user for each host.
- An admin user with limited privileges to do a DB dump, monitor the DB server, and/or monitor the replication server.
- A read only user who cannot modify the database for reports, backups, and exports.
- A replication user that is used only by the replication process.

Always do DB dumps, reporting, and exports from the replication server, as those activities introduce locks that interfere with users.
Analyze queries from the replication server. Do not login as root.
Do not login as root on the production server unless executing a DML or DDL.
Always use transactions when executing a DML (begin- and end-rollback).