09-24-10 | Blog Post

How to Migrate a MySQL Database Using mysqldump

Blog Posts

While researching solutions to the many daily problems we face I came across an interesting and useful SQL tool. There are many conventional ways to backup and restore a Mysql database using a multitude of methods that are equally effective. The mysqldump command is a very effective tool for use in the safe backup, storage, and retrieval of Mysql data as well as the structure of the individual tables. You will first need to gain SSH or RDP access to the database server and enter the mysql console. In this console you can enter the following command;

mysqldump -u [Username] -p [password] [databasename] > [backupfile.sql]

This can be used to backup either a single database that you specify or all of the databases currently running under your MySQL instance. You will need a MySQL username that has administrative access in order to back up the database. The database can then be exported in any format as specified in the > [backupfile.sql] portion of the command. Most often databases are exported in a simple text format which is easy to transfer to another server and imported into an active MySQL installation. The database file can then be transferred to your backup server and imported using the following command;

mysql – u [username] -p [password] [databasename] < backup.sql

Importing a database is fairly simple and usually does not take more than a few minutes but times may vary depending on the size of each database. With this information you should now have the knowledge to backup and migrate any MySQL database.

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