MYSQLHOTCOPY(1)

NAME
mysqlhotcopy - a database backup program

SYNOPSIS

mysqlhotcopy arguments

DESCRIPTION

mysqlhotcopy is a Perl script that was originally written and contributed by Tim Bunce. It uses LOCK TABLES, FLUSH TABLES, and cp or scp to make a database backup quickly. It is the fastest way to make a backup of the database or single tables, but it can be run only on the same machine where the database directories are located. mysqlhotcopy works only for backing up MyISAM and ISAM tables, and ARCHIVE tables as of MySQL 4.1. mysqlhotcopy runs on Unix, and also on NetWare as of MySQL 4.0.18.

    shell> mysqlhotcopy db_name [/path/to/new_directory]

    shell> mysqlhotcopy db_name_1 ... db_name_n /path/to/new_directory

Back up tables in the given database that match a regular expression:

    shell> mysqlhotcopy db_name./regex/

The regular expression for the table name can be negated by prefixing it with a tilde (‘~’):

    shell> mysqlhotcopy db_name./~regex/

mysqlhotcopy supports the following options:

•   --help, -?

    Display a help message and exit.

•   --addtodest

    Do not rename target directory (if it exists); merely add files to it. This option was added in MySQL 4.0.13.

•   --allowold

    Do not abort if a target exists; rename it by adding an _old suffix.

•   --checkpoint=db_name.tbl_name

    Insert checkpoint entries into the specified database db_name and table tbl_name.

•   --chroot=path

    Base directory of the chroot jail in which mysqld operates. The path value should match that of the --chroot option given to mysqld. This option was added in MySQL 4.0.19.

•   --debug

    Enable debug output.

•   --dryrun, -n

    Report actions without performing them.

•   --flushlog

    Flush logs after all tables are locked.

•   --host=host_name, -h host_name

    The hostname of the local host to use for making a TCP/IP connection to the local server. By default, the connection is made to localhost using a Unix socket file.

•   --keepold

    Do not delete previous (renamed) target when done.

•   --method=command

    The method for copying files (cp or scp).

•   --noindices

    Do not include full index files in the backup. This makes the backup smaller and faster. The indexes for reloaded tables can be reconstructed later with myisamchk -rq for MyISAM tables or isamchk -rq for ISAM tables.

•   --password=password, -ppassword

    The password to use when connecting to the server. Note that the password value is not optional for this option, unlike for other MySQL programs. You can use an option file to avoid giving the password on the command line.

    Specifying a password on the command line should be considered insecure. See Section 7.6, “Keeping Your Password Secure”.

•   --port=port_num, -P port_num

    The TCP/IP port number to use when connecting to the local server.

•   --quiet, -q

    Be silent except for errors.

•   --record_log_pos=db_name.tbl_name

    Record master and slave status in the specified database db_name and table tbl_name.

•   --regexp=expr

    Copy all databases with names that match the given regular expression.

•   --resetmaster

    Reset the binary log after locking all the tables.

•   --resetslave

    Reset the master.info file after locking all the tables.

•   --socket=path, -S path

    The Unix socket file to use for the connection.

•   --suffix=str

    The suffix for names of copied databases.

•   --tmpdir=path

    The temporary directory. The default is /tmp.

•   --user=user_name, -u user_name

    The MySQL username to use when connecting to the server.

mysqlhotcopy reads the [client] and [mysqlhotcopy] option groups from option files.

To execute mysqlhotcopy, you must have access to the files for the tables that you are backing up, the SELECT privilege for those tables, the RELOAD privilege (to be able to execute FLUSH TABLES), and the LOCK TABLES privilege (to be able to lock the tables).

Use perldoc for additional mysqlhotcopy documentation, including information about the structure of the tables needed for the --checkpoint and --record_log_pos options:

    shell> perldoc mysqlhotcopy

COPYRIGHT

Copyright 1997-2006 MySQL AB

This documentation is NOT distributed under a GPL license. Use of this documentation is subject to the following terms: You may create a printed copy of this documentation solely for your own personal use. Conversion to other formats is allowed as long as the actual content is not altered or edited in any way. You shall not publish or distribute this documentation in any form or on any media, except if you distribute the documentation in a manner similar to how MySQL disseminates it (that is, electronically for download on a Web site with the software) or on a CD-ROM or similar medium, provided however that the documentation is disseminated together with the software on the same medium. Any other use, such as any dissemination of printed copies or use of this documentation, in whole or in part, in another publication, requires the prior written consent from an authorized representative of MySQL AB. MySQL AB reserves any and all rights to this documentation not expressly granted above.

Please email <docs@mysql.com> for more information.

SEE ALSO
isamchk(1), isamlog(1), msql2mysql(1), myisam_ftdump(1), myisamchk(1), myisamlog(1), myisampack(1), mysql(1), mysql.server(1), mysql_config(1), mysql_explain_log(1), mysql_fix_privilege_tables(1), mysql_zap(1), mysqlaccess(1), mysqladmin(1), mysqlbinlog(1), mysqlcheck(1), mysqld(1), mysqld(8), mysqld_multi(1), mysqld_safe(1), mysqldump(1), mysqlimport(1), mysqlshow(1), pack_isam(1), perror(1), replace(1), safe_mysqld(1)

For more information, please refer to the MySQL Reference Manual, which may already be installed locally and which is also available online at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/.

AUTHOR
MySQL AB (http://www.mysql.com/). This software comes with no warranty.