MariaDB Slow Queries on 11/12: Diagnosis Steps
A working method for finding and fixing the queries that make a shared MariaDB server slow, using the slow query log with sensible thresholds, EXPLAIN and ANALYZE, the optimizer trace for the hard cases, and the optimizer hints introduced in 12.x to force a plan.
September 29, 2026
caching_sha2_password MariaDB 12: Fix MySQL 8 Client Problems
MariaDB 12.1 and later support the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin that MySQL 8 clients expect; this guide explains the resulting errors in both directions, how to check which plugin each account uses, and how to make PHP, CLI tools and replication clients connect.
September 29, 2026
Convert MySQL to MariaDB Safely: No In-Place Switch in 2026
DirectAdmin's CustomBuild and cPanel both refuse to switch a server from MySQL to MariaDB in place; this guide explains why the data formats diverged, then walks through the supported dump-and-restore conversion on a DirectAdmin server with verification at each stage.
September 29, 2026
MySQL ERROR 1040 Too Many Connections: Fixes for cPanel
Sites throw "Error establishing a database connection" and the MySQL error log says "Too many connections". Here is how to get the server back in two minutes, find what actually caused it, and set limits so it does not come back.
September 29, 2026
MySQL Health Snapshot Script: Free 10-Second MariaDB Check
One page of the numbers that matter on a MariaDB or MySQL server: connections vs limit, buffer pool hit ratio, tmp tables on disk, slow queries, largest tables, leftover MyISAM and anything running longer than five seconds. Read-only.
September 29, 2026