• I have MySQL running on a 4X (dual core) 16 GB machine. I was using INNODB, but it kept running into locking errors. I had increased the innodb_buffer_pool_size, and that made some difference, but it was still taking forever. I was inserting millions of records into the database from a different database on the same server. So I moved back to MyISAM and removed all my INNODB changes from my.cnf. This however did not solve the problem either.

    For some reason I had to put the changes back to the innodb_buffer_pool_size even though I was using MyISAM. I don't understand this but it did make a difference.

    Even still it is still a very slow import process.

    We finally changed the architecture, so we import to a staging SQL Server, then use SSIS to make the needed modifications/merges and then write to MySQL.

    I would have to say its not been even close to a cost savings when we factor in troubleshooting time and no ETL tool (so we still have to use SSIS).