To design a reliable MySQL backup plan, 1. First, clarify RTO and RPO indicators, and determine the backup frequency and method based on the business's acceptable downtime and data loss range; 2. Adopt a hybrid backup strategy, combining logical backup (such as mysqldump), physical backup (such as Percona XtraBackup) and binary log (binlog) to achieve rapid recovery and minimum data loss; 3. Test the recovery process regularly to ensure backup effectiveness and be familiar with recovery operations; 4. Pay attention to storage security, including off-site storage, encryption protection, version retention policy and backup task monitoring.

To put it bluntly, the backup strategy of MySQL database is "not prepared for normal times, and there will be two lines of tears when something happens." Don't wait until the hard disk hangs up, deletes data by mistake, or the server goes down before remembering that the backup is not done well. A reasonable backup mechanism is not just about dumping regularly, it needs to consider multiple aspects such as recovery speed, data integrity, storage security, etc.

Let’s start from several actual needs and talk about how to design a reliable MySQL backup solution.

1. Clarify your RTO and RPO metrics

These two terms sound a bit technical, but they are actually very simple:

• RTO (Recovery Time Objective) : At most, how long can you accept the system not be used?
• RPO (Recovery Point Objective) : How much data can you accept, such as one hour, five minutes or zero loss.

For example: If your business cannot be stopped for more than 30 minutes, then your backup must be restored within 30 minutes; if data cannot be lost for more than 5 minutes, then your backup frequency must be controlled within 5 minutes.

After understanding these indicators, you will not make any decisions by choosing the backup method and frequency.

2. Use hybrid backup method: logical physical binary log

It is not enough to rely solely on mysqldump , especially after the database becomes large, it is slow and troublesome to recover. It is recommended to use a combination of multiple backup methods:

• Logical backup (such as mysqldump)
  The advantages are clear structure and strong readability, and are suitable for small data volume or structural migration. The disadvantage is that the recovery is slow, especially when there are too many tables.

• Physical backup (such as Percona XtraBackup)
  Direct copying of data files is fast and suitable for large data volumes. Supports hot backup (i.e., non-stop service), and restores quickly.

• Binary Log
  This thing is the key to achieving point-to-point recovery. Even if you make full preparations once a day, as long as you keep the binlog, you can restore it to any time point.

So the recommended method is:

• Make a full physical backup every day/week
• Make an incremental backup every hour or every few minutes
• Continuous archive of binlog

This allows for quick recovery and minimizes data loss.

3. Test the recovery process regularly, don't just keep it alone

Many people have done a lot of backups, but have never tried restoring them. I waited until there was a real problem and found that the backup file was corrupt, the format was incorrect, and the permissions were missing... It would be too late.

It is recommended to do a manual recovery drill at least once a quarter, including:

• Restore the entire database from the backup
• Verify that the key data is complete
• Test whether it can be rolled back to a certain time point through binlog

This not only verifies the effectiveness of the backup, but also allows you to familiarize yourself with the recovery process and avoid panic at critical moments.

4. Storage and security cannot be ignored

Pay attention to the backup file itself:

• Off-site storage : The local server is hung up, and the backup is also on the same machine? That means no backup. It is recommended to pass the backup to a remote server or cloud storage.
• Encryption protection : The backup may contain sensitive data, and appropriate encryption can prevent leakage.
• Version retention strategy : Don’t keep it all, not only occupying space, but also easily confusing. The retention period can be set according to the time, such as one serving per day in the last 7 days, and one that is kept for one month a week.

Also, remember to monitor the status of the backup task. If the execution of the automation script fails, no one knows that it will be in vain.

Basically that's it. Backup seems simple, but there are many details, and a slight negligence may lay hidden dangers. The key is to combine business scenarios, choose the method reasonably, and adhere to testing and maintenance.

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