mantrid wrote:
"there is not an effective way of backing up mysql without either suspending
the service or causing latency problems connecting the database"
are they bull s*****g me or are they correct?
I'm sorry to hear about your loss.
I don't think they are correct.
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/mysqldump.html says, regarding
the "mysqldump --single-transaction" option:
"This option issues a BEGIN SQL statement before dumping data
from the server. It is useful only with transactional tables
such as InnoDB and BDB, because then it dumps the consistent
state of the database at the time when BEGIN was issued
without blocking any applications."
But you might want to try it yourself before you call them liars on
this, so you can demonstrate that backing up InnoDB tables do not cause
concurrency problems.
Create a MySQL database on your PC, large enough so that a backup takes
several moments. Then run a backup using that --single-transaction
option, while simultaneously trying to read and write to the database,
and see if you get delays. From the wording above, you should not see
any blocking.
Their terms of condition has the usual get out clause, does this mean that
legally there is nothing I can do?
If the terms absolve them of responsibility for data backups, I'd assume
that there is little you can do to seek damages. But of course, *never*
accept legal advice from some clown on an internet newsgroup! Talk to
your lawyer and show him/her the terms of service from your hosting
provider. Then it's up to you and your lawyer to decide if you think
you can win enough in a settlement or judgment, to justify the exercise.
If it were me, I'd consider it a regrettable learning experience, and in
the future, create my _own_ backups, if the database contains valuable
and irreplaceable data.
For instance, if you use a hosting service that provides a web-based
MySQL administration tool like phpMyAdmin or something like it, there
should be a way to "export" your data to a text file, and then you
download the text file to your local PC, burn it to a CD, label and date
the CD, and put it in a fire safe.
Regards,
Bill K.