Install the MySQL Enterprise Backup product on each database server whose contents you intend to back up. You perform all backup and restore operations locally, by running the mysqlbackup command on the same server as the MySQL instance.

Optional: You can also install the MySQL Enterprise Backup product on computers other than the database server, only to run mysqlbackup with the apply-log option. See Section 4.1.1.2, “Apply-Log Operations for Existing Backup Data” for information about bringing backup data to a separate server and running the “apply log” step there.

The MySQL Enterprise Backup product is packaged as either an archive file (.tgz, archived with tar and compressed with gzip), or as a platform-specific installer that is more automated and convenient than with the former InnoDB Hot Backup product.

Installing on Unix and Linux Systems

For all Linux and Unix systems, the product is available as a .tgz file. Unpack this file as follows:

tar xvzf package.tgz

The mysqlbackup command is unpacked into a subdirectory. You can either copy them into a system directory (preserving their execute permission bits), or add to your $PATH setting the directory where you unpacked it.

For certain Linux distributions, the product is also available as an RPM archive. When you install the RPM, using the command sudo rpm -i package_name.rpm, the mysqlbackup command is installed in the directory /opt/mysql/meb-3.8. You must add this directory to your $PATH setting.

Installing on Windows Systems

Specify the installation location, preferably relative to the directory where the MySQL Server product is installed.

Choose the option to add this directory to the windows %PATH% setting, so that you can run the mysqlbackup command from a command prompt.

Verify the installation by selecting the menu item Start > Programs > MySQL Enterprise Backup 3.8.1 > MySQL Enterprise Backup Command Line. This menu item opens a command prompt and runs the mysqlbackup command to display its help message showing the option syntax.

mysqlbackup Syntax Changes in MySQL Enterprise Backup 3.6 and Higher

In MySQL Enterprise Backup 3.6 and higher, the mysqlbackup command takes over the functions formerly performed by the ibbackup and innobackup commands. As a result, option syntax has changed, and you might need to modify backup scripts to use the new options and remove references to the ibbackup command. The new options enable more features and flexibility, and are more consistent with the options used by the mysqld client. For the latest syntax information, see Chapter 4, mysqlbackup Command Reference. For differences between mysqlbackup syntax and ibbackup/innobackup syntax, see Section B.6, “New and Changed Options in MySQL Enterprise Backup 3.6 and Higher”. For how to use the former ibbackup and innobackup commands during a transition period, see Section B.8, “ibbackup and innobackup Commands”.