Is it possible to uninsall MySQL-5.6 and install MySQL-5.1 on RHEL 5

Question

I have installed MySQL-5.6.x community edition on RHEL5. It was running fine. Since, it is my testing server. To find the differences in execution timing, I have to install the MySQL-5.1 community edition again. So, I decided to uninstall MySQL-5.6 first. To do this, I followed below steps:

1. uninstall MySQL server and client
# sudo yum erase mysql
2. Uninstall mysql libraries
# sudo yum remove mysql-libs
3. clean db cache
# sudo yum clean dbcache
4. find each and every instance of MySQL
# sudo find / -name mysql*;
5. remove each and every instance of MySQL and Even libmysqlclient.so too.
# sudo rm -r /directory path
6. install shared library
 # sudo rpm -ivh /u000/mysql_installer/MySQL-shared-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64.rpm
Result: successful 100%
6. install shared compat if you face any issue  
# sudo rpm -ivh /u000/mysql_installer/MySQL-shared-compat-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64.rpm
Result: successful 100%
7. install mysql server
# sudo rpm -ivh /u000/mysql_installer/MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64.rpm

But, I am getting a lot of conflict errors like below:

     file /etc/init.d/mysql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
 file /etc/logrotate.d/mysql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/innochecksum from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/my_print_defaults from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/myisam_ftdump from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/myisamchk from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/myisamlog from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/myisampack from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_convert_table_format from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_fix_extensions from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_install_db from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_setpermission from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_tzinfo_to_sql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_upgrade from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysql_zap from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqlbug from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqld_multi from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqld_safe from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqldumpslow from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqlhotcopy from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/mysqltest from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/perror from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/replace from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/resolve_stack_dump from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/bin/resolveip from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/sbin/mysqld from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/sbin/mysqld-debug from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/innochecksum.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/my_print_defaults.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/myisam_ftdump.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/myisamchk.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/myisamlog.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/myisampack.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql.server.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_convert_table_format.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_fix_extensions.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_install_db.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_secure_installation.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_setpermission.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_tzinfo_to_sql.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_upgrade.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysql_zap.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqlbug.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqld_multi.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqld_safe.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqldumpslow.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqlhotcopy.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/mysqltest.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/perror.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/replace.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/resolve_stack_dump.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man1/resolveip.1.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/man/man8/mysqld.8.gz from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/SELinux/RHEL4/mysql.fc from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/SELinux/RHEL4/mysql.te from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/Index.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/armscii8.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/ascii.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp1250.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp1256.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp1257.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp850.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp852.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/cp866.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/dec8.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/geostd8.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/greek.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/hebrew.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/hp8.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/keybcs2.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/koi8r.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/koi8u.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/latin1.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/latin2.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/latin5.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/latin7.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/macce.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/macroman.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/charsets/swe7.xml from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/czech/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/danish/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/dutch/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/english/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/estonian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/fill_help_tables.sql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/french/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/german/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/greek/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/hungarian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/italian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/japanese/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/korean/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/mysql-log-rotate from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/mysql.server from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/mysql_system_tables.sql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/mysql_system_tables_data.sql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/mysql_test_data_timezone.sql from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/norwegian-ny/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/norwegian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/polish/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/portuguese/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/romanian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/russian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/serbian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/slovak/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/spanish/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/swedish/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64
        file /usr/share/mysql/ukrainian/errmsg.sys from install of MySQL-server-community-5.1.73-1.rhel5.x86_64 conflicts with file from package MySQL-server

Finally MySQL server has not installed. I don't know what mistake I did?

Answer 1

You have not uninstalled MySQL-server-5.6.19-1.rhel5.x86_64 and MySQL-server, maybe others. Please do not remove manually package files, as that would only make thing more problematic.

I quote a similar answer I wrote some time ago:

Search for mysql-related packages that are now installed: rpm -qa | grep -i mysql

Delete any packages like mysql, mysql-server, mysql-client, mysql-shared, mysql-shared-compat, mysql-libs. yum remove mysql-server etc. You do not need to remove mysql library bindings like python-mysqldb, php-mysql, etc., unless they had a dependency with some of the previous packages.

Then install the desired version as you are doing.

The reason you are having problems is because depending on the installation source (official repositories, distro repositories, 3rd party,...) the name of the packages may be slightly different and you can fall into some dependency hell, creating some headaches when moving between vendors/repositories. It can also be a bit misleading as mysql packages may include aliases and transition packages. Pinning and priorities could make it smoother, but it is not always trivial.

Warning: Be careful if you try to reuse the configuration file and/or datafiles (which are not deleted on removal), as downgrades from 5.6 to 5.5/5.1 may be incompatible in some cases due to changes on the binary format (unless special care is taken).

Tip: If you want more flexibility when migrating between version, you can use autocontent binary packages. It works really nice for testing. You lose easy upgrades and package management but you gain a lot of control (e.g. for downgrades, in case of a bug). MySQL Sandbox is also a very nice tool for managing testing of different versions and topologies.