Configure MySQL Backup

MySQL Backup

OnlineBackup supports MySQL DB backups using internal MySQLDump utility(mysqldump) that comes by default with MySQL installation. OnlineBackup supports Full(entire MySQL database) and incremental(Changes made after each backup schedule) backups for MySQL database while data is online and accessible.

Step 1- Configure Databases

• From the Backup tab select MySQL to begin with the backup process. If there are no MySQL authentication details available for that system, you will get the page displayed below. Provide the authentication details and proceed with the backup.

• Select Click here option which will redirect you to the MySQL Credentials page. The following are the options available on this page:

• MySQL Server Name - Name of the MySQL Server, it is a non-editable field. It will by default take the name 'localhost'.

• MySQL Server Instance Port - The port in which the MySQL Server Instance will run. By default, it will take the value 3306 and can be edited.

• MySQL EXE Path- The path in which MySQL .exe file required to run MySQL is present. By default it will be configured to the following location: "C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.5/bin/." Configure the location and click OK.

• MySQL Dump EXE Path- The path in which the .exe file is present for the MySQL dump to take place. Configure the dump location and select OK.

• MySQL Username and Password - Provide the Username and Password for your MySQL Server. By default it will be configured to the following location: "C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.5/bin/"

• Temporary Location to store backup dumps- Configure the location for the backup dumps to happen. This is the location where the backup data will be first dumped before it gets backed up. The dumped data will be cleaned up after the backup completes successfully. By default it will be configured to the following location: "C:/Program Files/Vembu/VembuOnlineBackup/plugin-data/mysqlserver/"
• Click Save once you have configured MySQL Credentials.

• You will be redirected to the 'Choose Database(s) page where you have to select the databases for the backup process

• Select the database you wish to configure as backup and click next to proceed with configuring the schedule.

Step 2- Configure Scheduling

Users can configure their backup schedules flexibly based on their requirements. They can choose from Hourly/Daily/Weekly options for backup schedules.

Run Every- Lets user decides the hour frequency at which backup schedule should be triggered. It also lets the user decide the days when the hourly schedules should be carried out.

Run Daily- Allows the user to set a specific time in a day to trigger the backup schedule.

Run Weekly- Lets user decides the days when a backup schedule can be triggered in a week and choose a time period as well.

Run Once- User can also configure a one time scheduled backup job which can also be triggered manually when needed.

Step 3- Configure Retention

By default, retention count is defined to be 5 versions, which can also be customized based on user requirements.

The retention feature helps in having multiple versions for a backed-up file stored in the backup server. Vembu OnlineBackup provides retention with two types of retention policies:

• Version-Based retention
• Time-Based retention

Retention policy for backed-up files

Version-Based Retention

This option lets Vembu OnlineBackup retain multiple versions for a backed-up file based on version count. The default value chosen is 5, while it can have any value chosen between 0 to 99.

Time-Based Retention

This option lets Vembu OnlineBackup retain multiple versions for a backed-up file based on its age. The default value chosen is for 5 years(version files will be retained for 5 years) and can be configured based on user requirement with two options:

Any number of versions can be created within retention period- This is the default setting chosen where Vembu OnlineBackup can create n number of version files within the specified retention period.

Restrict the maximum number of versions that can be created within retention period- This option, if enabled, lets the user define a value for retention version file to be maintained for the specified time period. If exceeded, the oldest file will get removed with the entry of the new version.

Additional Full Backup

In an enterprise background, configuring a backup job with one full backup and forever incremental will not be a recommended practice. Users from such backgrounds will tend to configure additional full backups periodically and that can be automated with our additional backup option.

Additional Full Backups can be configured in following order of schedule:

• Run every few hours schedules- Configuring daily/weekly/monthly additional full backups is possible.
• For Run Daily schedule- Configuring weekly/monthly additional full backup are the possible options.
• For Run Weekly schedule- Only possible additional full backup is 'Monthly full backup'.
• For Run Once schedule- You cannot configure additional full backup.

Advanced Options(Optional)

Advanced Backup Schedule Settings

This option let you configure additional settings such as:

• Running backup schedule each time Vembu OnlineBackup restarts.
• Running backup immediately after saving configuration(This setting is triggered even when backup settings are edited later after few backup schedules).
• Performing a data integrity check.

Pre\Post Backup Commands

Pre/post commands allow the user to configure system-level actions that are to be executed before and after a backup process. This action includes running an application or executing script files.

Pre & Post Backup command settings

• Enter the commands that you need to run before and after the backup.

• Command Name: The command can be an executable file such as application .exe files, batch files, script files, etc.

For Example

Windows - Commands, *.bat, *.cmd files

Linux - Commands, bash(shell scripting),  *.sh files

• Arguments: You can provide any command-line arguments for the command to be executed.

• Working path: The command should be provided with a full path. If the command name is in the system command path then providing the full path for the command is not necessary.

For Example: C:\MyTools\myzip.exe. A simple zip tool compresses the given files or folders that are present in the system command path.

• From the users' backup scheduling information, OnlineBackup will start the Pre Backup commands and wait until the timeout value.

• Once the backup files and folders are transferred to the backup server, the Post backup commands are executed.

• You can provide a maximum of 5 Pre-Backup commands and a maximum of 5 Post-Backup commands for each backup schedule. Both the Pre and Post Backup commands are optional.
• Once command details are provided, click 'Save'.

Encryption Setting

Backups configured under OnlineBackup can be encrypted with a user-defined password which can be provided during backup configuration.

Steps to add Encryption Password

• In order to encrypt your backup, select Enable Encryption checkbox. You can either add your own password or encrypt the backup with a System Generated Password.

• To create a new password, click on Add Password. Provide the password of your choice along with a password hint and save it

• The newly created password will be available in the drop-down list. Choose the password and click Next. All the added passwords will be listed in the drop-down box. With the help of the encryption hint, you can easily identify the required password. Click Save once you have provided the required details.

• Once you are done configuring the Encryption Password, Click Save.

Step 4- Review Configurations

• The last step in the MySQL backup configuration is to enter the backup schedule name. OnlineBackup supports creating multiple backup schedules each with its own configuration. The backup schedule name will uniquely identify the backup. While restoring your backup data, you need to choose the data to be restored using its schedule name.
• Review the configuration provided and enter an appropriate name for the backup schedule. Once done, click Save the Backup to initiate the backup progress as per schedule configured and it gets completed successfully.

• You can verify the progress of your backup in the progress schedule window. In the List Jobs page, click on the arrow mark to open the backup progress window. The overall progress of your backup along with details such as:
• Job Name - Name of your backup job
• Backup Server - The backup server to which the backup is currently happening
• Warning - Warning if any
• Reconnection Attempts - The count of the times OnlineBackup client attempted to reconnect to the backup server
• Transfer Rate - Rate at which the backup data is transferred to your backup server. (Bytes,KB,MB,GB)
• Original Size of the file - The actual size of your backup file
• Added, Modified, Deleted, Skipped files and Folders count
• Time Left - Time remaining for your backup to complete.

• You can abort your backup if not required from the Abort option available in the List Jobs page. You will get a pop up as shown below. Click Yes to Abort your backup.

• You can Abort your backup from the backup progress window page also. Select the Abort (-) option in that window. You will be alerted with a pop-up as shown below. Click OK to abort your backup.