---
title: "MySQL integration | Grafana Labs"
description: "Set up MySQL monitoring with Grafana Cloud integrations as a fallback to Database Observability"
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

## MySQL integration

If you can’t use Database Observability for MySQL — for example, if you’re running MySQL 5.6 or MariaDB — the MySQL integration provides infrastructure-level monitoring with pre-built dashboards and alerts.

**Already using Database Observability for MySQL?** You don’t need this integration. Database Observability includes everything the integration provides and adds query-level analysis on top. This integration is for users who need MySQL monitoring without the deeper query-level features.

|                        |                                                                                    |
|------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **What it monitors**   | Connections, query throughput, InnoDB buffer pool, replication status, table locks |
| **How it works**       | Grafana Alloy’s built-in MySQL exporter scrapes metrics from your MySQL instance   |
| **What you get**       | 15 alerts + 2 dashboards + log collection                                          |
| **Supported versions** | MySQL >= 5.6, MariaDB >= 10.2                                                |

## What you’ll see in the dashboards

- **MySQL** — Connection statistics, query throughput (selects, inserts, updates, deletes), InnoDB buffer pool usage, and table lock waits
- **MySQL logs** — Log analysis for error tracking and troubleshooting

## Integration vs. Database Observability

| MySQL integration          | Database Observability              |
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Aggregate query throughput | Individual query performance        |
| Connection counts          | Which connections consume resources |
| Replication up/down        | Replication lag details             |
| MySQL 5.6+, MariaDB 10.2+  | MySQL 8.0+ only (no MariaDB)        |
| 15–20 minute setup         | 30–60 minute setup                  |

## Trade-offs

| Strengths                                                              | Considerations                                                |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| Broadest MySQL version support (5.6+, MariaDB)                         | No query-level visibility (no explain plans or wait events)   |
| 15 pre-built alerts covering connections, replication, and performance | Aggregate metrics only — can’t identify specific slow queries |
| Log collection for error tracking                                      | For MySQL 8.0+, Database Observability is the better choice   |

* * *

Learning path

#### Monitor MySQL with Grafana Alloy

Welcome to the Grafana learning path that shows you how to monitor MySQL databases with Grafana Alloy and use pre-built dashboards and alerts in Grafana Cloud.

17 min

Beginner

Docs & blog posts

#### Open in Grafana Cloud

Complete this learning path directly in your Grafana Cloud stack with an interactive learning experience.

[Open in Grafana Cloud]()

[View on website](/docs/learning-paths/mysql-integration/)

[Path completed](/docs/learning-hub/intro-to-db-olly/03-database-integrations/19-integration-complete/)