Online service

I have been looking for an easy way to have a shared mysql database in ordre to maintain the video library, metadata and watched status in an easy way.

I stumbled over the myPlex online service which is part of the Plex ecosystem, and thought that this Mighty also be an interesting idea for xbmc.

I would gladly pay a small annual fee to keep the servers running ón the internet, for this service, as it would save me the trouble of setting up and running the mysql database myself + it unlocks some interesting expansions to the xbmc ecosystem, which I think beats plex (apart from myPlex of course)

Have there been any work in this direction in the past?

Myplex doesn't actually store your entire library/database "in the cloud". It simply maintains a list of library locations so that connecting to different servers is easier and secure. Therefore you would still need a local db to manage the metadata (inc watched status).

ok, didn't know that.

But I still think that it could be a good idea to actually have your mysql stores in the cloud.
1) it would make it easy to manage multiple clients in your home - without having to fiddle around with hacks to run a local mysql in your home
2) it could make it possible to make some kind of easy way to access your media from the internet - i.e. from a smartphone or tablet on the road.

I'm pretty sure you won't see us jumping on the cloud train in the near future (if ever). Keep your stuff in your lan where it is "safe".