benchmarking with multiple my.cnf values.

aggressive.txt

key_buffer = 384M
max_allowed_packet = 1M
table_cache = 512
sort_buffer_size = 2M
read_buffer_size = 2M
read_rnd_buffer_size = 8M
myisam_sort_buffer_size = 64M
thread_cache_size = 8
query_cache_size = 64M

innodb_buffer_pool_size = 512M

Now
real    10m20.288s
user    0m0.060s
sys     0m0.010s

11:52:54 up 41 days,  8:15,  5 users,  load average: 0.06, 0.16, 0.18
11:58:27 up 41 days,  8:21,  5 users,  load average: 1.03, 0.49, 0.28
11:59:27 up 41 days,  8:22,  5 users,  load average: 0.97, 0.54, 0.31
12:00:27 up 41 days,  8:23,  5 users,  load average: 1.16, 0.68, 0.37
12:01:27 up 41 days,  8:24,  5 users,  load average: 1.31, 0.81, 0.43
12:02:27 up 41 days,  8:25,  5 users,  load average: 1.43, 0.93, 0.50
12:03:27 up 41 days,  8:26,  5 users,  load average: 1.14, 0.94, 0.53
12:04:27 up 41 days,  8:27,  5 users,  load average: 1.06, 0.95, 0.55
12:05:27 up 41 days,  8:28,  5 users,  load average: 1.47, 1.09, 0.62
12:06:27 up 41 days,  8:29,  5 users,  load average: 1.70, 1.23, 0.70
12:07:27 up 41 days,  8:30,  5 users,  load average: 1.49, 1.28, 0.75
12:08:27 up 41 days,  8:31,  5 users,  load average: 1.33, 1.27, 0.78
12:09:27 up 41 days,  8:32,  5 users,  load average: 0.92, 1.16, 0.77
12:10:27 up 41 days,  8:33,  5 users,  load average: 0.34, 0.94, 0.72
12:11:27 up 41 days,  8:34,  5 users,  load average: 0.26, 0.81, 0.68

all_params_setup.txt

 All params set up.
 
 key_buffer = 1024M
 max_allowed_packet = 1M
 table_cache = 512
 sort_buffer_size = 4M
 read_buffer_size = 2M
 read_rnd_buffer_size = 8M
 myisam_sort_buffer_size = 64M
 thread_cache_size = 8
 query_cache_size = 64M
 
 innodb_buffer_pool_size = 1024M
 #innodb_additional_mem_pool_size = 300M
 # Set .._log_file_size to 25 % of buffer pool size
 #innodb_log_file_size = 256M
 #innodb_log_buffer_size = 64M
 innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit = 1
 innodb_lock_wait_timeout = 50
 
 
 real    7m35.720s
 user    0m0.010s
 sys     0m0.040s
 
 
 12:52:26 up 41 days,  9:15,  5 users,  load average: 1.16, 0.86, 0.67
 12:53:26 up 41 days,  9:16,  5 users,  load average: 1.55, 1.02, 0.74
 12:54:26 up 41 days,  9:17,  5 users,  load average: 1.49, 1.09, 0.78
 12:55:26 up 41 days,  9:18,  5 users,  load average: 1.36, 1.12, 0.80
 12:56:26 up 41 days,  9:19,  5 users,  load average: 0.50, 0.91, 0.75
 12:57:26 up 41 days,  9:20,  5 users,  load average: 0.20, 0.76, 0.70
 12:58:26 up 41 days,  9:21,  5 users,  load average: 0.07, 0.62, 0.66
 12:59:26 up 41 days,  9:22,  5 users,  load average: 0.10, 0.52, 0.62
 13:00:26 up 41 days,  9:23,  5 users,  load average: 0.04, 0.42, 0.58

more_aggressive.txt

key_buffer = 1024M
max_allowed_packet = 1M
table_cache = 512
sort_buffer_size = 4M
read_buffer_size = 2M
read_rnd_buffer_size = 8M
myisam_sort_buffer_size = 64M
thread_cache_size = 8
query_cache_size = 64M
innodb_buffer_pool_size = 1024M

real    8m12.770s
user    0m0.030s
sys     0m0.030s

uptime
12:32:39 up 41 days,  8:55,  5 users,  load average: 0.93, 0.53, 0.41
 12:33:39 up 41 days,  8:56,  5 users,  load average: 1.01, 0.64, 0.45
 12:34:39 up 41 days,  8:57,  5 users,  load average: 1.24, 0.76, 0.51
 12:35:39 up 41 days,  8:58,  5 users,  load average: 1.27, 0.86, 0.55
 12:36:39 up 41 days,  8:59,  5 users,  load average: 1.37, 0.95, 0.60
 12:37:39 up 41 days,  9:00,  5 users,  load average: 1.63, 1.08, 0.66
 12:38:39 up 41 days,  9:01,  5 users,  load average: 1.13, 1.04, 0.68
 12:39:39 up 41 days,  9:02,  5 users,  load average: 1.59, 1.20, 0.75

original.txt

Original 
real    19m42.041s
user    0m0.060s
sys     0m0.040s

10:29:37 up 41 days,  6:52,  5 users,  load average: 0.69, 0.69, 0.59
 10:30:37 up 41 days,  6:53,  5 users,  load average: 0.66, 0.69, 0.60
 10:31:37 up 41 days,  6:54,  5 users,  load average: 0.77, 0.71, 0.61
 10:32:37 up 41 days,  6:55,  5 users,  load average: 0.65, 0.68, 0.61
 10:33:37 up 41 days,  6:56,  5 users,  load average: 0.66, 0.68, 0.61
 10:34:37 up 41 days,  6:57,  5 users,  load average: 0.72, 0.69, 0.62
 10:35:37 up 41 days,  6:58,  5 users,  load average: 0.62, 0.66, 0.61
 10:36:37 up 41 days,  6:59,  5 users,  load average: 0.66, 0.68, 0.62
 10:37:37 up 41 days,  7:00,  5 users,  load average: 0.61, 0.67, 0.62
 10:38:37 up 41 days,  7:01,  5 users,  load average: 0.60, 0.65, 0.62
 10:39:37 up 41 days,  7:02,  5 users,  load average: 0.81, 0.70, 0.64
 10:40:37 up 41 days,  7:03,  5 users,  load average: 0.83, 0.72, 0.64
 10:41:37 up 41 days,  7:04,  5 users,  load average: 1.02, 0.80, 0.67
 10:42:37 up 41 days,  7:05,  5 users,  load average: 1.15, 0.85, 0.69
 10:43:37 up 41 days,  7:06,  5 users,  load average: 0.96, 0.86, 0.71
 10:44:37 up 41 days,  7:07,  5 users,  load average: 1.39, 0.98, 0.75
 10:45:37 up 41 days,  7:08,  5 users,  load average: 0.99, 0.96, 0.76
 10:46:38 up 41 days,  7:09,  5 users,  load average: 1.05, 0.99, 0.78
 10:47:38 up 41 days,  7:10,  5 users,  load average: 1.04, 1.00, 0.80
 10:48:38 up 41 days,  7:11,  5 users,  load average: 0.80, 0.95, 0.80
 10:49:38 up 41 days,  7:12,  5 users,  load average: 0.86, 0.91, 0.79
 10:50:38 up 41 days,  7:13,  5 users,  load average: 0.31, 0.75, 0.74
 10:51:38 up 41 days,  7:14,  5 users,  load average: 0.17, 0.62, 0.70
 10:52:38 up 41 days,  7:15,  5 users,  load average: 0.06, 0.51, 0.65
 10:53:38 up 41 days,  7:16,  5 users,  load average: 0.06, 0.43, 0.61
 10:54:38 up 41 days,  7:17,  5 users,  load average: 0.09, 0.36, 0.58
 10:55:38 up 41 days,  7:18,  5 users,  load average: 0.17, 0.34, 0.55
 10:56:38 up 41 days,  7:19,  5 users,  load average: 0.26, 0.32, 0.53
 10:57:38 up 41 days,  7:20,  5 users,  load average: 0.09, 0.26, 0.50
 10:58:38 up 41 days,  7:21,  5 users,  load average: 0.03, 0.21, 0.46
 10:59:38 up 41 days,  7:22,  5 users,  load average: 0.01, 0.17, 0.43
 11:00:38 up 41 days,  7:23,  5 users,  load average: 0.08, 0.15, 0.41
 11:01:38 up 41 days,  7:24,  5 users,  load average: 0.18, 0.16, 0.39
 11:02:38 up 41 days,  7:25,  5 users,  load average: 0.12, 0.14, 0.36
 11:03:38 up 41 days,  7:26,  5 users,  load average: 0.24, 0.16, 0.36
 11:04:38 up 41 days,  7:27,  5 users,  load average: 0.20, 0.16, 0.34
 11:05:38 up 41 days,  7:28,  5 users,  load average: 0.56, 0.25, 0.36
 11:06:38 up 41 days,  7:29,  5 users,  load average: 0.36, 0.24, 0.35
 11:07:38 up 41 days,  7:30,  5 users,  load average: 0.13, 0.19, 0.33
 11:08:38 up 41 days,  7:31,  5 users,  load average: 0.05, 0.16, 0.31
 11:09:38 up 41 days,  7:32,  5 users,  load average: 0.08, 0.14, 0.29
 11:10:38 up 41 days,  7:33,  5 users,  load average: 0.20, 0.16, 0.28
 11:11:38 up 41 days,  7:34,  5 users,  load average: 0.11, 0.14, 0.26
 11:12:38 up 41 days,  7:35,  5 users,  load average: 0.72, 0.30, 0.31
 11:13:38 up 41 days,  7:36,  5 users,  load average: 0.40, 0.27, 0.30
 11:14:38 up 41 days,  7:37,  5 users,  load average: 0.50, 0.31, 0.30
 11:15:38 up 41 days,  7:38,  5 users,  load average: 0.37, 0.31, 0.30
 11:16:38 up 41 days,  7:39,  5 users,  load average: 0.34, 0.30, 0.30
 11:17:38 up 41 days,  7:40,  5 users,  load average: 0.21, 0.27, 0.28
 11:18:38 up 41 days,  7:41,  5 users,  load average: 0.08, 0.22, 0.26
 11:19:38 up 41 days,  7:42,  5 users,  load average: 0.03, 0.18, 0.24
 11:20:38 up 41 days,  7:43,  5 users,  load average: 0.16, 0.19, 0.24
 11:21:38 up 41 days,  7:44,  5 users,  load average: 0.20, 0.20, 0.24
 11:22:38 up 41 days,  7:45,  5 users,  load average: 0.11, 0.17, 0.23
 11:23:38 up 41 days,  7:46,  5 users,  load average: 0.16, 0.17, 0.22
 11:24:38 up 41 days,  7:47,  5 users,  load average: 0.35, 0.21, 0.23
 11:25:38 up 41 days,  7:48,  5 users,  load average: 0.30, 0.22, 0.23
 11:26:38 up 41 days,  7:49,  5 users,  load average: 0.21, 0.21, 0.22
 11:27:38 up 41 days,  7:50,  5 users,  load average: 0.08, 0.17, 0.21
 11:28:38 up 41 days,  7:51,  5 users,  load average: 0.14, 0.18, 0.20
 11:29:38 up 41 days,  7:52,  5 users,  load average: 0.28, 0.20, 0.21
 11:30:38 up 41 days,  7:53,  5 users,  load average: 0.28, 0.22, 0.21
 11:31:38 up 41 days,  7:54,  5 users,  load average: 0.28, 0.23, 0.21
 11:32:38 up 41 days,  7:55,  5 users,  load average: 0.20, 0.21, 0.20

 
 

Mysql settings benchmark

The setup was following.

• Ran the first 1000 slow sql queries back on the passive db server
• Ran watch -n 60 'uptime >> uptime.log' in the background to track uptimes. Basically saves uptimes every 1 minute
• Sit back and relax

Following are the configurations

• Original is the default configuration with default mysql.cnf
• Aggressive is changes to the Key_buffer, without any innodb tweaks
• More Aggressive is Same key_buffer with bumping the innodb pool size to 1G
• All params setup is Same key_buffer and inno_db pool size with some other tweaks.