Is there any truth to this, mysqldump?

[r042wal]

I am trying to get a backup strategy in place for my customer. Here is what the software developer said about their software that uses MySQL 4.xx running on Windows Server 2000.

Is this true? I do not see how this is possible.

What we have learned with MySQL is you do not need to run a special backup to backup MySQL databases. The contents of c:\mysql\data (or if the MySQL engine is physically located in another location, the \data folder within that MySQL folder) can be backed up at any times, as the files open and close per request. If you have a scheduled tape backup, include this folder in the backup. If needed to recall this information, all we need are the entire contents of this folder, and you are back up and running, instantly.

 

[audiopro]

Please be gentle with me if I am wrong but I think the software developer could be right. If you have full access to the whole server then you have all the files you need.
However, many people use hosted sites and can only get to their database information programatically rather than physically, hence the reason for MySQL dump and other such programs.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[TonyGroves]

You can't reliably back up MySQL's data files while the server is running, as MySQL uses caching in order to minimise disc activity, and locking and transactions to ensure integrity. You would need to either shut down the MySQL server for the duration of the backup, or use a utility such as "mysqldump" to dump the database to external files which could then be backed-up.