backup: mysqldump or mysqlhotcopy ?

[Bernd Lentes]

hello,

i'm new to MySQL, so i have currently some basic questions.

I have a MySQL-Server with 15 users. Every User can create databases. I expect that the
amount of data which has to be backuped will increase constantly. What i want:
I'd like to have a backup on a regular basis. I think i will create two cronjobs, one
running daily, the other running weekly.
Initially, we will have just MyISAM tables, later on maybe InnoDB tables.
I'd like to backup _all_ databases, but having the possibility to restore only some
databases. And the number and names of the databases change often, but i don't like to
adapt my script regulary.

Which tool do you recommend ? mysqldump or mysqlhotcopy ?

Can i backup all databases with mysqlhotcopy using mysqlhotcopy --regexp=[a-zA-Z0-9]\+ ?
Can i restore from this backup only some databases just copying the saved directories of
the backuped databases to the MySQL-directory ? 

Thanks in advance.



Bernd



--
Bernd Lentes
Systemadministration
Institut für Entwicklungsgenetik
HelmholtzZentrum münchen
bernd.lentes@stripped
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