16.4 Backup Repository Options

These options specify various parameters related to the backup image or directory, or to how the backup will be restored. Typically, --backup-image and --backup-dir are the only options from the group that you need to specify when using mysqlbackup.

The backup repository options are used with the following operations:

The backup repository options are divided into two groups: the first one determines the structure of the backup, and the second one provides information on the original structure of the data on the backed-up server for future operations on the backup.

The following options determine the structure of the backup:

  • --backup-image=IMAGE

    Command-Line Format --backup-image=IMAGE
    Type File name

    Specify the path name of the file used for a single-file backup, restore, or another single-file operation.

    Except when streaming the backup image with --backup-image=-, if --backup-image does not give a full path name, this is how mysqlbackup interprets the value of the option:

    By default, the single-file backup is streamed to standard output, so that you can pipe it directly to other commands such as a tape backup or an ssh-related network command.

    You can optionally prefix the image name with file: to signify a file I/O (the default). For tape backups, prefix the image name with sbt:. See Section 4.3.1.2, “Backing Up to Tape” for details about tape backups.

  • --backup_dir=PATH

    Same as --backup-dir. The backup directory under which the backup data and metadata are stored, permanently or temporarily. It is a crucial parameter required for most kinds of backup and restore operations.

    The option is used differently for different operations and under different situations:

    • For backup to a single file (including incremental, compressed, encrypted, and cloud backups): Use --backup-dir to supply a temporary folder to save the backup metadata (including the mysqlbackup message log, the start and end LSN, and so on) and some temporary output. The backup data, together with a copy of the metadata, will be stored in a singe file whose name is specified with the --backup-image option. Note that, however, if --backup-image does not give a full path name, mysqlbackup will actually take the value of --backup-image as a path relative to the directory specified by --backup-dir, and thus store the single-file backup under --backup-dir (or, if the --with-timestamp option is used, under a subdirectory created under --backup-dir, which bears the timestamp in its name).

    • For backup to a directory: Use --backup-dir to specify the directory to store the backup data and metadata (including the mysqlbackup message log, the start and end LSN, and so on). The directory specified by --backup-dir cannot be a subdirectory of the directory specified by --datadir.

      When the --with-timestamp option is also specified, an additional level of subdirectory, with the timestamp in its name, is created under --backup-dir (see description for the --with-timestamp option for details). Unless the --with-timestamp option is used, the directory specified by --backup-dir must be empty, or the backup operation will fail with an error.

    • For restoring a single-file backup (including incremental, compressed, encrypted, and cloud backups): When using copy-back-and-apply-log to restore a single-file backup, use --backup-dir to supply a temporary folder to store the temporary data of the restore operation. The directory specified by --backup-dir should be empty—if a non-empty directory is used, the restore operation will still be carried out, but the restore data might be corrupted.

      When restoring a single-file backup created with the option setting use-tts=with-minimum-locking, the folder specified with --backup-dir is also used for extracting temporarily all the tables in the backup and for performing an apply-log operation to make the data up-to-date before restoring them to the server's data directory.

    • For restoring a backup directory: Use --backup-dir to specify the location of the backup directory, from which data will be restored to the server.

  • backup_innodb_data_home_dir=PATH

    The directory under which the backup's InnoDB data files are to be stored. Specify the option if you want to put the data files at somewhere other than the default location (which is backup-dir/datadir). If the value of the parameter is different from backup-dir/datadir, it is stored into the backup-my.cnf file as innodb_data_home_dir for information, so that mysqlbackup can understand the structure of the backup when it performs various operations on the backup. Together with backup_innodb_data_file_path option, it determines the actual file paths of the InnoDB data files inside the backup.

    The value for the parameter is derived as follows:

    • If backup_innodb_data_home_dir is not specified, its value will be backup-dir/datadir.

    • If backup_innodb_data_home_dir is an absolute path, its value is used as-is.

    • If backup_innodb_data_home_dir is a relative path, the path is taken to be relative to (that is, underneath) backup-dir.

    • An empty string (“”) for backup_innodb_data_home_dir means the value of innodb_data_file_path is to be taken as an absolute path..

    This parameter is applicable only for backup operations; during a restore, the InnoDB data files are restored under the data directory specified by --datadir, unless another location is specified using the --innodb_data_home_dir option during restore.

  • backup_innodb_data_file_path=VALUE

    The InnoDB data file names and sizes. Examples: 

    ibdata1:32M;ibdata2:32M:autoextend
/abs/path/ibdata1:32M:autoextend
innodb-dir/ibdata1:32M:autoextend

    This parameter, together with backup_innodb_data_home_dir, determines where the InnoDB data files are stored within the backup repository. Any file path specified with this option is taken to be relative to the value of the backup_innodb_data_home_dir option (that is true even if the file path is specified in the form of an absolute path, like /abs/path/ibdata1:32M:autoextend). To specify truly absolute paths for InnoDB data files in the backup with this option, you must set the backup_innodb_data_home option to "" [empty string], in addition to using an absolute path for this option.

    When the parameter is not specified, it inherits the value from the value of the innodb_data_file_path option on the backed-up server. If both the source and destination of the backup attempt to use the same absolute paths that resolves to the same files, the backup is cancelled.

    The value of the parameter is stored into the backup-my.cnf file as innodb_data_file_path for information, so that mysqlbackup can understand the structure of the backup when it performs various operations on the backup.

  • backup_innodb_log_group_home_dir=PATH

    The directory under which the backup's InnoDB logs will be stored. Specify this option only if you want to put the logs at somewhere other than the default location (which is backup-dir/datadir). If the value of the parameter is different from backup-dir/datadir, it is stored in the backup-my.cnf file as innodb_log_group_home_dir for information, so that mysqlbackup can understand the structure of the backup when it performs various operations on the backup. Note that while you can specify a directory for saving the logs, the names of the log files are fixed and not reconfigurable.

    This parameter is applicable only for backup operations; during a restore, the InnoDB log files are restored under the data directory specified by --datadir, unless another location is specified using the --innodb_log_group_home_dir option during restore. The value of the parameter is derived as follows:

    • If backup_innodb_log_group_home_dir is not specified, its value will be backup-dir/datadir.

    • If backup_innodb_log_group_home_dir is an absolute path, its value is used as-is.

    • If backup_innodb_log_group_home_dir is a relative path, the path is taken to be relative to (that is, underneath) backup-dir.

    • An empty string (“”) for the option produces an error.

  • backup_innodb_undo_directory=PATH

    The relative or absolute directory path where separate tablespaces are created for the InnoDB undo logs during the backup. When unspecified, the option takes up the same value as backup_innodb_log_group_home_dir; specify this option only if you want to put the undo logs at some other location. If the value of the parameter is different from backup-dir/datadir, it is stored in the backup-my.cnf file as innodb_undo_directory for information, so that mysqlbackup can understand the structure of the backup when it performs various operations on the backup.

    This parameter is applicable only for backup operations; during a restore, the InnoDB undo log tablespaces are restored under the data directory specified by --datadir, unless another location is specified by the --innodb_undo_directory option during restore.

  • --with-timestamp

    Creates a subdirectory underneath the backup directory, with a name formed with the timestamp of the backup operation. It is useful for maintaining a single backup directory containing many backup snapshots put under different subdirectories.

    Default: no timestamped subdirectory is created. To reuse the same backup directory for a new backup without using this option, either remove the previous backup files manually or, for a single-file backup, specify the --force option to overwrite the old backup file.

The following parameters provide information on the original structure of the data on the backed-up server for future operations on the backup, but do not affect the structure of the backup itself:

  • backup_innodb_log_files_in_group=N

    The number of InnoDB log files in a log group on the restored server. See the description for innodb_log_files_in_group in the MySQL server manual. The value for this parameter, saved as innodb_log_files_in_group in the backup-my.cnf file, is derived as follows:

    • Use the backup_innodb_log_files_in_group value from command line or configuration file, if specified.

    • Else, use the innodb_log_files_in_group value from the backed-up server, if it is an online backup.

    • Else, use the innodb_log_files_in_group value from the mysqlbackup command line or configuration file.

  • backup_innodb_log_file_size=SIZE

    The maximum single InnoDB log file size in backup before switching to next log file, on the restored server. See the description for innodb_log_file_size in the MySQL server manual. The value for this parameter, saved as innodb_log_file_size in the backup-my.cnf file, is derived as follows:

    • Use the backup_innodb_log_file_size value from command line or configuration file, if specified.

    • Else, use the innodb_log_file_size value from the backed-up server, if it is an online backup.

    • Else, use the specified innodb_log_file_size value from the mysqlbackup command line or configuration file.

  • backup_innodb_page_size=SIZE

    Specifies, for an offline backup, the page size for all InnoDB tablespaces on the restored server. This option should be specified carefully, because the page size must be the same as that of the backed up MySQL instance, or the backup could become useless. For an online backup, the value is taken from the value of the innodb_page_size option on the backed-up server.

    Value of this option is saved in the backup-my.cnf file, to be used for restoring the database.

  • backup_innodb_undo_logs=NUMBER

    Specifies, for an offline backup, the number of rollback segments in the InnoDB system tablespace on the restored server. This option should be specified carefully, because the value must be the same as that of innodb_undo_logs on the backed-up MySQL instance, or the backup could become useless. For an online backup, the value for the parameter is taken from the value of the innodb_undo_logs option on the backed-up server.

  • backup_innodb_undo_tablespaces=NUMBER

    Specifies the number of tablespace files that the undo logs are divided between, when you use a non-zero backup_innodb_undo_logs setting. This option should be specified carefully, because the value must be the same as that of innodb_undo_tablespaces on the backed-up MySQL instance, or the backup could become useless. For an online backup, the value for the parameter is taken from the value of the innodb_undo_tablespaces option on the backed-up server. By default, all the undo logs are part of the system tablespace, and the system tablespace will always contain one undo tablespace in addition to those configured by innodb_undo_tablespaces.

  • backup_innodb_checksum_algorithm=NAME

    Specifies, for an offline backup, the name of the checksum algorithm used for validating the InnoDB tablespaces on the restored server. This option should be specified carefully, because the checksum algorithm must be the same use on the backed-up MySQL instance, or the backup could become useless. For an online backup, the value is taken from the value of the innodb_checksum_algorithm option on the backed-up server.

    Default value of the option is “innodb”.

    Value of this option is saved in the backup-my.cnf file, to be used for restoring the database.


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