How do you set binlog retention period on MySQL?

In MySQL, you can control the retention period of binary log files using the expire_logs_days system variable. This variable determines how long binary log files are retained before they are automatically purged. Here’s how you can set up the binary log retention period:

  1. Check Current Configuration: You can check the current value of expire_logs_days by executing the following SQL query:sqlCopy codeSHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'expire_logs_days';
  2. Set Binary Log Retention Period: To set the binary log retention period to a specific number of days, you can use the following SQL statement:sqlCopy codeSET GLOBAL expire_logs_days = <number_of_days>; Replace <number_of_days> with the desired retention period.
  3. Update Configuration File (Optional): To make the change persistent across MySQL server restarts, you can add or update the expire_logs_days setting in your MySQL configuration file (e.g., my.cnf or my.ini). Add the following line:iniCopy codeexpire_logs_days = <number_of_days>
  4. Manually Purge Binary Logs (Optional): If you want to manually purge binary logs before the specified retention period, you can use the PURGE BINARY LOGS statement. For example, to purge logs older than 7 days, you can run:sqlCopy codePURGE BINARY LOGS BEFORE NOW() - INTERVAL 7 DAY; Be cautious while manually purging logs, as this operation cannot be undone.
  5. Restart MySQL Server (Optional): If you updated the configuration file, you might need to restart the MySQL server for the changes to take effect.

Keep in mind that setting a very short retention period may lead to potential data loss during certain recovery scenarios, so choose a value that aligns with your backup and recovery strategy. Additionally, be aware of the disk space implications of retaining binary logs for an extended period.

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