You can set up MySQL replication for almost any configuration of masters and replicas, with the limitation that a given MySQL replica instance can have only one master. Many complex topologies are possible, but even the simple ones can be very flexible. A single topology can have many different uses. The variety of ways you can use replication could easily fill its own book.

We’ve already seen how to set up a master with a single replica. In this section, we look at some other common topologies and discuss their strengths and limitations. As we go, remember these basic rules: