This is a read-only copy of the MariaDB Knowledgebase generated on 2024-11-21. For the latest, interactive version please visit https://mariadb.com/kb/.

mariadb-hotcopy

mariadb-hotcopy is deprecated and may be removed in a future release.

mariadb-hotcopy is a Perl script that was originally written and contributed by Tim Bunce. It uses FLUSH TABLES, LOCK TABLES, and cp or scp to make a database backup.

Prior to MariaDB 10.5, the client was called mysqlhotcopy. It can still be accessed under this name, via a symlink in Linux, or an alternate binary in Windows.

It is a fast 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. mariadb-hotcopy> works only for backing up MyISAM and ARCHIVE tables. It runs on Unix and NetWare.

To use mariadb-hotcopy, you must have read 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).

shell> mariadb-hotcopy db_name [/path/to/new_directory]
shell> mariadb-hotcopy db_name_1 ... db_name_n /path/to/new_directory

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

shell> mariadb-hotcopy db_name./regex/

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

shell> mariadb-hotcopy db_name./~regex/

mariadb-hotcopy supports the following options, which can be specified on the command line or in the [mariadb-hotcopy] and [client] option file groups.

OptionDescription
--help, -?Display a help message and exit.
--addtodestDo not rename target directory (if it exists); merely add files to it.
--allowoldDo not abort if a target exists; rename it by adding an _old suffix.
--checkpoint=db_name.tbl_nameInsert checkpoint entries into the specified database db_name and table tbl_name.
--chroot=pathBase directory of the chroot jail in which mysqld operates. The path value should match that of the --chroot option given to mysqld.
--debugEnable debug output.
--dryrun, -nReport actions without performing them.
--flushlogFlush logs after all tables are locked.
--host=host_name, -h host_nameThe host name 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.
--keepoldDo not delete previous (renamed) target when done.
--method=commandThe method for copying files (cp or scp). The default is cp.
--noindicesDo not include full index files for MyISAM tables in the backup. This makes the backup smaller and faster. The indexes for reloaded tables can be reconstructed later with myisamchk -rq.
--old-serverConnect to old MySQL-server (before v5.5) which doesn't have FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK fully implemented.
--password=password, -ppasswordThe password to use when connecting to the server. The password value is not optional for this option, unlike for other MariaDB programs.

Specifying a password on the command line should be considered insecure. You can use an option file to avoid giving the password on the command line.
--port=port_num, -P port_numThe TCP/IP port number to use when connecting to the local server.
--quiet, -qBe silent except for errors.
--record_log_pos=db_name.tbl_nameRecord master and slave status in the specified database db_name and table tbl_name.
--regexp=exprCopy all databases with names that match the given regular expression.
--resetmasterReset the binary log after locking all the tables.
--resetslaveReset the master.info file after locking all the tables.
--socket=path, -S pathThe Unix socket file to use for connections to localhost.
--suffix=strThe suffix to use for names of copied databases.
--tmpdir=pathThe temporary directory. The default is /tmp.
--user=username, -u usernameThe MariaDB username to use when connecting to the server.

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

shell> perldoc mariadb-hotcopy

See Also

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