Binary Backup General

When backup using the mode=binary plugin option is done, the database will be backed up in binary mode. But since there are multiple databases (even in the case of a single user database), the database will not be consistent when a restore is done. However, during the binary backup, the Percona tools will save and restore the MySQL binary logs that will permit making the databases consistent.

Making the databases consistent is, in Percona terminology, called “Prepare”. This prepare operation is commonly performed when the databases are restored. They are restored to a temporary location, then made consistent using the Prepare option on the Percona tools prior to actually modifying the live database. This Prepare operation requires having sufficient disk for twice the database size, and it consumes CPU and I/O during the process. During the restoration of a large database, the time and resources that the Prepare phase requires can be significantly high, particularly for large databases.