title: When should I use MySQL compressed protocol?
body: <p>I've learned that MySQL can compress communication between servers and clients.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Compression is used if both client and
    server support zlib compression, and
    the client requests compression.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>(from <a href="http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/MySQL%5FInternals%5FClientServer%5FProtocol#Compression" rel="noreferrer">MySQL Forge Wiki</a>)</p>
  
  <p>The most obvious pros and cons are</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>pros: Reduced payload size</li>
  <li>cons: Increased computation time</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>So, is compressed protocol something I should enable whenever I can afford servers with adequate specs? Are there other factors I should consider?</p>