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Percona XtraBackup Binaries Overview

Percona XtraBackup provides a comprehensive suite of command-line tools for MySQL database backup and recovery operations. This document introduces the four core binaries that form the foundation of Percona XtraBackup’s functionality, helping you understand when and how to use each tool effectively.

Prerequisites

Before using Percona XtraBackup binaries, ensure you have:

  • Appropriate database privileges for backup operations

  • Sufficient disk space for backup storage

  • Network access (for cloud storage operations)

Core Binaries

xtrabackup

Purpose: The primary backup and restore utility for MySQL databases.

Key Capabilities:

  • Creates hot backups without locking tables

  • Supports full, incremental, and compressed backups

  • Handles InnoDB, MyISAM, and other storage engines

  • Provides point-in-time recovery capabilities

Common Use Cases:

  • Daily full database backups

  • Incremental backup strategies

  • Database migration and cloning

  • Disaster recovery preparation

Basic Syntax:

# Create a full backup
$ xtrabackup --backup --target-dir=/backup/full

# Create an incremental backup
$ xtrabackup --backup --target-dir=/backup/inc1 --incremental-basedir=/backup/full

# Prepare a backup for restore
$ xtrabackup --prepare --target-dir=/backup/full

Documentation: xtrabackup Overview

Command Line Options: xtrabackup Options

xbcloud

Purpose: Cloud storage management for backup files.

Key Capabilities:

  • Uploads and downloads backups to/from cloud providers

  • Supports Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage, and MinIO

  • Handles large backup files efficiently

  • Provides parallel upload/download operations

Common Use Cases:

  • Off-site backup storage

  • Cross-region backup replication

  • Cloud-based disaster recovery

  • Backup archival and long-term storage

Basic Syntax:

# Upload backup to S3
$ xbcloud put s3://my-bucket/backup/ --storage=s3 --s3-bucket=my-bucket

# Download backup from S3
$ xbcloud get s3://my-bucket/backup/ --storage=s3 --s3-bucket=my-bucket

Documentation: xbcloud Overview

Command Line Options: xbcloud Options

xbcrypt

Purpose: Encryption and decryption of backup files.

Key Capabilities:

  • Encrypts backup files using AES encryption

  • Supports multiple encryption algorithms

  • Provides secure key management

  • Handles both individual files and backup streams

Common Use Cases:

  • Securing sensitive database backups

  • Compliance with data protection regulations

  • Secure backup transmission

  • Long-term encrypted storage

Basic Syntax:

# Encrypt a backup file
$ xbcrypt --encrypt --encrypt-key-file=/path/to/keyfile --input=/backup/backup.xbstream

# Decrypt a backup file
$ xbcrypt --decrypt --encrypt-key-file=/path/to/keyfile --input=/backup/backup.xbstream.encrypted

Documentation: xbcrypt Overview

Command Line Options: xbcrypt Options

xbstream

Purpose: Streaming backup data for efficient handling of large files.

Key Capabilities:

  • Streams backup data to and from files

  • Supports compression and decompression

  • Handles backup streaming over networks

  • Works with standard Unix pipes and redirection

Common Use Cases:

  • Streaming backups over network connections

  • Real-time backup processing

  • Integration with other backup tools

  • Efficient handling of large backup files

Basic Syntax:

# Extract a streamed backup
$ xbstream -x -C /restore/directory < backup.xbstream

# Create a streamed backup
$ xtrabackup --backup --stream=xbstream | xbstream -c -C /backup/directory

Documentation: xbstream Overview

Command Line Options: xbstream Options

Common Workflows

Basic Backup Workflow

  1. Create a full backup using xtrabackup

  2. Optionally encrypt using xbcrypt

  3. Upload to cloud storage using xbcloud

  4. Verify backup integrity

Incremental Backup Strategy

  1. Create initial full backup

  2. Create incremental backups based on the full backup

  3. Stream incremental backups using xbstream

  4. Store encrypted backups in cloud storage

Disaster Recovery Workflow

  1. Download backup from cloud storage

  2. Decrypt backup files if necessary

  3. Prepare backup using xtrabackup --prepare

  4. Restore database from prepared backup

Code Examples

Complete Backup and Upload Workflow

# Create encrypted backup
$ xtrabackup --backup --target-dir=/tmp/backup --encrypt=AES256 --encrypt-key-file=/etc/mysql/backup.key

# Stream and compress backup
$ xtrabackup --backup --stream=xbstream --encrypt=AES256 --encrypt-key-file=/etc/mysql/backup.key | \
  xbstream -c -C /tmp/backup

# Upload to cloud storage
$ xbcloud put s3://my-backup-bucket/$(date +%Y%m%d)/ --storage=s3 --s3-bucket=my-backup-bucket

Restore from Cloud Storage

# Download backup from cloud
$ xbcloud get s3://my-backup-bucket/20241201/ --storage=s3 --s3-bucket=my-backup-bucket

# Decrypt backup
$ xbcrypt --decrypt --encrypt-key-file=/etc/mysql/backup.key --input=/tmp/backup/backup.xbstream.encrypted

# Prepare and restore
$ xtrabackup --prepare --target-dir=/tmp/backup
$ xtrabackup --copy-back --target-dir=/tmp/backup

Next Steps

Now that you understand the core binaries, consider these next steps:

  1. Installation: Follow the installation guide for your operating system

  2. Configuration: Review configuration options for your environment

  3. Quick Start: Try the quickstart guide for hands-on experience

  4. Advanced Topics: Explore point-in-time recovery and replication setup