The innodb_directories
option, which defines directories to scan at startup for tablespace files, supports moving or restoring tablespace files to a new location while the server is offline. During startup, discovered tablespace files are used instead those referenced in the data dictionary, and the data dictionary is updated to reference the relocated files. If duplicate tablespace files are discovered by the scan, startup fails with an error indicating that multiple files were found for the same tablespace ID.
The directories defined by the innodb_data_home_dir
, innodb_undo_directory
, and datadir
configuration options are automatically appended to the innodb_directories
argument value. These directories are scanned at startup regardless of whether the innodb_directories
option is specified explicitly. The implicit addition of these directories permits moving system tablespace files, the data directory, or undo tablespace files without configuring the innodb_directories
setting. However, settings must be updated when directories change. For example, after relocating the data directory, you must update the --datadir
setting before restarting the server.
The innodb_directories
option may be specified in a startup command or MySQL option file. Quotes are used around the argument value because otherwise a semicolon (;) is interpreted as a special character by some command interpreters. (Unix shells treat it as a command terminator, for example.)
Startup command:
mysqld --innodb-directories="directory_path_1
;directory_path_2
"
MySQL option file:
[mysqld] innodb_directories="directory_path_1
;directory_path_2
"
The following procedure is applicable to moving individual file-per-table and general tablespace files, system tablespace files, undo tablespace files, or the data directory. Before moving files or directories, review the usage notes that follow.
-
Stop the server.
-
Move the tablespace files or directories.
-
Make the new directory known to
InnoDB
.-
If moving individual file-per-table or general tablespace files, add unknown directories to the
innodb_directories
value.-
The directories defined by the
innodb_data_home_dir
,innodb_undo_directory
, anddatadir
configuration options are automatically appended to theinnodb_directories
argument value, so you need not specify these. -
A file-per-table tablespace file can only be moved to a directory with same name as the schema. For example, if the
actor
table belongs to thesakila
schema, then theactor.ibd
data file can only be moved to a directory namedsakila
. -
General tablespace files cannot be moved to the data directory or a subdirectory of the data directory.
-
-
If moving system tablespace files, undo tablespaces, or the data directory, update the
innodb_data_home_dir
,innodb_undo_directory
, anddatadir
settings, as necessary.
-
-
Restart the server.
Usage Notes
-
Wildcard expressions cannot be used in the
innodb_directories
argument value. -
The
innodb_directories
scan also traverses subdirectories of specified directories. Duplicate directories and subdirectories are discarded from the list of directories to be scanned. -
The
innodb_directories
option only supports movingInnoDB
tablespace files. Moving files that belong to a storage engine other thanInnoDB
is not supported. This restriction also applies when moving the entire data directory. -
The
innodb_directories
option supports renaming of tablespace files when moving files to a scanned directory. It also supports moving tablespaces files to other supported operating systems. -
When moving tablespace files to a different operating system, ensure that tablespace file names do not include prohibited characters or characters with a special meaning on the destination system.
-
When moving a data directory from a Windows operating system to a Linux operating system, modify the binary log file paths in the binary log index file to use backward slashes instead of forward slashes. By default, the binary log index file has the same base name as the binary log file, with the extension '
.index
'. The location of the binary log index file is defined by--log-bin
. The default location is the data directory. -
If moving tablespace files to a different operating system introduces cross-platform replication, it is the responsibility of the Database Administrator to ensure proper replication of DDL statements that contain platform-specific directories. Statements that permit specifying directories include
CREATE TABLE ... DATA DIRECTORY
andCREATE TABLESPACE
. -
The directory of file-per-table and general tablespace files created with an absolute path or in a location outside of the data directory should be added to the
innodb_directories
argument value. Otherwise,InnoDB
is not able to locate these files during recovery.CREATE TABLE ... DATA DIRECTORY
andCREATE TABLESPACE
permit creation of tablespace files with absolute paths.CREATE TABLESPACE
also permits tablespace file directories that are relative to the data directory. To view tablespace file locations, query theINFORMATION_SCHEMA.FILES
table:mysql>
SELECT TABLESPACE_NAME, FILE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.FILES G
-
CREATE TABLESPACE
requires that the target directory exists and is known toInnoDB
. Known directories include those implicitly and explicitly defined by theinnodb_directories
option.