The time zone configured in the /etc/my.cnf will need to be reinstated in the event of a server replacement or MariaDB reinstall.

 The time zone is configured in the /etc/my.cnf This will need reinstated in case of a server replacement or MariaDB reinstall.

/etc/my.cnf

## Timezone

default-time-zone='Europe/Dublin'

to complete the configuration execute

mysql_tzinfo_to_sql /usr/share/zoneinfo | mysql -u root mysql

1. Detailed Explanation of MySQL Timezone Configuration

File: /etc/my.cnf

Setting the Timezone:

[mysqld]

default-time-zone='Europe/Dublin'

• Explanation: This line sets the default time zone for the MySQL server to ‘Europe/Dublin’. This ensures that all date and time functions will use this time zone unless overridden by a specific query.

• Completing the Configuration:

mysql_tzinfo_to_sql /usr/share/zoneinfo | mysql -u root mysql

• Explanation: This command loads the time zone information from the system’s zoneinfo database into MySQL. Here’s a breakdown:

  • mysql_tzinfo_to_sql /usr/share/zoneinfo: This part of the command converts the time zone data from the system’s zoneinfo files into a format that MySQL can understand.

  • |: This pipe symbol passes the output of the first command as input to the next command.

  • mysql -u root mysql: This part of the command connects to the MySQL server as the root user and imports the time zone data into the mysql database.

Steps to Follow:

1. Edit the Configuration File:

   • Open the /etc/my.cnf file in a text editor.

   • Add the line default-time-zone='Europe/Dublin' under the [mysqld] section.

   • Save and close the file.

2. Load Time Zone Data:

   • Open a terminal.

   • Execute the command: mysql_tzinfo_to_sql /usr/share/zoneinfo | mysql -u root mysql.

3. Restart MySQL Server:

   • Restart the MySQL server to apply the changes. This can typically be done with a command like sudo systemctl restart mysqld or sudo service mysql restart, depending on your system.

This configuration ensures that your MySQL server uses the ‘Europe/Dublin’ time zone by default and has the necessary time zone data loaded for accurate time-related functions.