So, you've been using MySQL for a while now, and you breezed through installation, and got your databases up and running. Do you ever take the time to look back and see what kind of things that you might have missed? Well, this Back-to-Basics guide from DevShed can take you back in time to learn some of the keys you might have missed.

This chapter from High Performance MySQL by Jeremy Zawodny and Derek J. Balling. (O'Reilly Media, ISBN: 0-596-00306-4, April 2004) talks about binary distributions, the sections in a configuration file, and some SHOW commands that provide a window into what's going on inside MySQL. This book is for the MySQL administrator who has the basics down but realizes the need to go further. [...] Real-life use of MySQL requires forethought and care - and a little benchmarking and testing. It's a good book to read after you've installed and learned how to use MySQL but before your site starts to get a lot of traffic, and the dragons are breathing down your neck.

He covers the difference between the binary and source-compiled distributions, including some of the differences in installation, configuration of the my.cnf, and some quick tips on how to enhance the power of your MySQL installation (such as the seldom used SHOW command).