Themysqlbackup client is an easy-to-use tool for all backup and restore operations. During backup operations,mysqlbackup backs up:
All InnoDB tables and indexes, including:
The InnoDBsystem tablespace, which, by default contains all the InnoDB tables.
Any separate data files produced with the InnoDBfile-per-table setting. Each one contains one table and its associated indexes. Each data file can use either the originalAntelope or the newBarracuda file format.
All MyISAM tables and indexes.
Tables managed by other storage engines.
Other files underneath the MySQL data directory, such as the
.frmfiles that record the structure of each table.Any other files in the database subdirectories under the server's data directory.
In addition to creating backups,mysqlbackup can pack and unpack backup data, apply to the backup data any changes to InnoDB tables that occurred during the backup operation, and restore data, index, and log files back to their original locations, or to other places.
Here are some sample commands to start a backup operation withmysqlbackup are:
# Information about data files can be retrieved through the database connection.# Specify connection options on the command line.mysqlbackup --user=dba --password --port=3306 \ --with-timestamp --backup-dir=/export/backups \ backup# Or we can include the above options in the configuration file# under the [mysqlbackup] section, and just specify the configuration file# and the 'backup' operation.mysqlbackup --defaults-file=/usr/local/mysql/my.cnf backup# Or we can specify the configuration file as above, but# override some of those options on the command line.mysqlbackup --defaults-file=/usr/local/mysql/my.cnf \ --compress --user=backupadmin --password --port=18080 \ backup The--user and the--password you specify are used to connect to the MySQL server. This MySQL user must have certain privileges in the MySQL server, as described inSection 4.1.2, “Grant MySQL Privileges to Backup Administrator”.
The--with-timestamp option places the backup in a subdirectory created under the directory you specified above. The name of the backup subdirectory is formed from the date and the clock time of the backup run.
For the meanings of other command-line options, seeChapter 16,mysqlbackup Command-Line Options. For information about configuration files, seeChapter 17,Configuration Files and Parameters.
Make sure that the user or the cron job runningmysqlbackup has the rights to copy files from the MySQL database directories to the backup directory.
Make sure that your connection timeouts are long enough so that themysqlbackup command can keep the connection to the server open for the duration of the backup run.mysqlbackup pings the server after copying each database to keep the connection alive.
Althoughmysqlbackup backs up InnoDB tables without interrupting database use, the final stage that copies non-InnoDB files (such as MyISAM tables and
.frmfiles) temporarily puts the database into a read-only state, using the statementFLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK. For best backup performance and minimal impact on database processing:Do not run long
SELECTqueries or other SQL statements at the time of the backup run.Keep your MyISAM tables relatively small and primarily for read-only or read-mostly work.
Then the locked phase at the end of amysqlbackup run is short (maybe a few seconds), and does not disturb the normal processing ofmysqld much. If the preceding conditions are not met in your database application, use the
--only-innodboption to back up only InnoDB tables, or use the--no-lockingoption to back up non-InnoDB files. Note that MyISAM,.frm, and other files copied under the--no-lockingsetting cannot be guaranteed to be consistent, if they are updated during this final phase of the backup.For a large database, a backup run might take a long time. Always check that themysqlbackup command has been completed successfully by verifying thatmysqlbackup has returned the exit code 0, or by observing thatmysqlbackup has printed the text“mysqlbackup completed OK!”.
mysqlbackup is not the same as the former“MySQL Backup” open source project from the MySQL 6.0 source tree. The MySQL Enterprise Backup product supersedes the MySQL Backup initiative.
Schedule backups during periods when no DDL operations involving tables are running. SeeAppendix B,Limitations of MySQL Enterprise Backup for restrictions on creating backups in parallel with the DDL operations.