2.2.4 Choosing a Method for Data Snapshots

2.2.4.1 Creating a Data Snapshot Using mysqldump

2.2.4.2 Creating a Data Snapshot Using Raw Data Files

If the database on the source contains existing data it is necessary to copy this data to each replica. There are different ways to dump the data from the source. The following sections describe possible options.

To select the appropriate method of dumping the database, choose between these options:

• Use the mysqldump tool to create a dump of all the databases you want to replicate. This is the recommended method, especially when using InnoDB.

• If your database is stored in binary portable files, you can copy the raw data files to a replica. This can be more efficient than using mysqldump and importing the file on each replica, because it skips the overhead of updating indexes as the INSERT statements are replayed. With storage engines such as InnoDB this is not recommended.