The MariaDB packages (like the MySQL packages) require the Perl database interface common to all databases and the database interface to the MySQL database. You'll also need psmisc a collection of utilities that use the proc file system. You can install these packages using your package manager or go to the command line and issue the command:

shell> sudo apt-get install libdbi-perl libdbd-mysql-perl psmisc

Navigate to http://askmonty.org/wiki/MariaDB:Download#Packages and find a link to the Meerkat package suitable for your architecture. Choose your mirror and then select the binary directory. You should see something similar to the following:

As already noted, the various mirrors aren't package repositories. You'll need to download the packages you need and install them locally. You can download all the files (with the exception of Pakages.gz) and install them all, however the required files are:

Note: The 64 bit files are shown above. Be sure to choose the files suitable to your architecture.

Once the files have been downloaded, navigate to your download directory and use the Debian package manager command dpkg:

shell> sudo dpkg --install mysql-common_5.1.42-mariadb73_all.deb
shell> sudo dpkg --install libmariadbclient16_5.1.42-mariadb73_amd64.deb
mariadb-client-core-5.2_5.2.4-mariadb94_amd64.deb
libmysqlclient16_5.1.42-mariadb73_amd64.deb
mariadb-client_5.1.42-mariadb73_all.deb
mariadb-client-5.1_5.1.42-mariadb73_amd64.deb
mariadb-server_5.1.42-mariadb73_all.deb
mariadb-server-core-5.2_5.2.4-mariadb94_amd64.deb
mariadb-server-5.1_5.1.42-mariadb73_amd64.deb

During installation you will be asked to add a password for the root user.

Use the following command to confirm that the files have been installed:

shell> apt-cache search maria

You should see output similar to the following:

...
maria-doc - documentation of Maria
mariadb-client-5.2 - MariaDB database client binaries
mariadb-server-5.2 - MariaDB database server binaries
mariadb-server - MariaDB database server
mariadb-client - MariaDB database clien
mariadb-server-core-5.2 - MariaDB database core server files
mysql-common - MariaDB database common files (e.g. /etc/mysql/my.cnf)
libmariadbclient16 - MariaDB database client library
libmysqlclient16 - Virtual package to satisfy external depends
mariadb-client-core-5.2 - MariaDB database core client binaries

When you install MariaDB using the Debian packages, the mysql client and other utilities are installed to the /usr/bin directory, a directory that is in the default path, so there is no need to add a directory to your PATH variable. You can use the shell command which mysql to confirm this.

Also, the package installer configures the database server to start automatically and runs the mysql_secure_installation script. However, you may want to add a user and grant that user privileges. If you do this you'll probably also want to add a .my.cnf file. To perform these tasks see the Post-Installation section of Installing MariaDB on Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat).

If you want remote access to your server there is another change that you will have to make. The package files install the /etc/mysql/my.cnf configuration file with the bind-address option set to 127.0.0.1. With this setting, attempting remote access results in the following error:

shell> mysql -u username -h ip_or_hostname -p
Enter password:
ERROR 2003 (HY000): Can't connect to MySQL server on 'ip_or_hostname' (61)

Change the bind-address option to 0.0.0.0 and, providing you've created a user with remote access, you'll be able to log in to your server from anywhere. (You will of course, also need the mysql client installed on the remote computer.) After making this change don't forget to restart the server. You can do this by issuing the command sudo /etc/init.d/mysql restart.

Peter Lavin is a technical writer who has been published in a number of print and online magazines. He is the author of Object Oriented PHP, published by No Starch Press and a contributor to PHP Hacks by O'Reilly Media.