backup: mysqldump or mysqlhotcopy ?

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 exp=
ect that the amount of data which has to be backuped will increase constant=
ly. What i want:
I'd like to have a backup on a regular basis. I think i will create two cro=
njobs, 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 o=
nly 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=3D=
[a-zA-Z0-9]\+ ?
Can i restore from this backup only some databases just copying the saved d=
irectories of the backuped databases to the MySQL-directory ?=20

Thanks in advance.



Bernd



--
Bernd Lentes
Systemadministration
Institut für Entwicklungsgenetik
HelmholtzZentrum münchen
bernd.lentes@helmholtz-muenchen.de
phone: +49 89 3187 1241
fax: +49 89 3187 3826
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/idg
Im Kampf um das Unerreichbare verliert das
Erreichte seinen Wert
=20

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