http://www.nbs-system.co.uk/blog-2/magento-optimization-howto-en.html
Very useful article outlining the broad basics of optimising Magento. Includes links to more detailed information and lots of config file examples. Very useful.
http://www.scalebase.com/
Another cloud based scale solution for MySQL, aims to simplify deploying MySQL "in the cloud".
http://nimbusdb.com/how_it_works.html
Cloud based database that tries to achieve a new type of scalable, highly available, fault tolerant persistent data storage layer in "the cloud".
http://programmersnotes.info/2009/03/04/handling-application-parameters-in-yii-using-the-database/
Very helpful article on how to store option or config data Yii in a database. Also includes a quick overview (the useful part for me!) of how to access data stored in a config file. Nifty. :-)
http://www.sysadmin.hep.ac.uk/wiki/DatabaseBackup
Useful article on how to backup and restore MySQL databases. Includes example commands and a basic overview of the theory.