Import Data into Cloud Databases

There are many ways to import data from MySQL, Percona, or MariaDB databases to a MySQL database. This article describes the recommended process for importing data to Rackspace Cloud Databases.

🚧
For imports of very large datasets or imports to mission critical database instances, we recommend working with the Cloud Databases support team, which is included in the cost of the database, to plan and determine the best course of action for your particular database.

You can import from databases on Rackspace's public cloud, on another cloud, or in your own data center. If you are importing the data from a location without Rackspace ServiceNet access, such as another cloud or your data center, you must either create a cloud server to copy your import file to or enable external access on your database by using either a high availability (HA) instance group or a Rackspace Cloud Load Balancer.

📘
Before you begin, read through the Best practices and Limitations sections of this article.

Create a Cloud Databases instance to receive the data

Use the Cloud Control Panel, API, or command-line client to create a Cloud Databases instance with an empty database and a username and password to access it.

📘
If you want to enable external access by using an HA instance group, you must pick that option when creating the database. See Manage Cloud Databases HA instance groups in the Cloud Control Panel for more detailed instructions.
If you need to change any configuration parameters, do so by using configuration groups on the new database instance.

📘
Changing configuration parameters after the import could have unexpected effects on the data and applications connecting to it.
Proceed to one of the following sections depending on how you want to import the data:
- Import data by using a Rackspace Cloud Server
- Import to a database with public access (HA group or Cloud Load Balancer)

Import data by using a Rackspace Cloud Server

After you create the database instance, view its details in the Cloud Control Panel and copy the hostname. The hostname is a long string of numbers and letters with rackspaceclouddb.com at the end. You need the hostname in a later step.
On the machine where your existing database is located, run the following MySQL command to export the database:
```
mysqldump -u {username} -p {database_name} > {database_name}.sql
```
- username is the username you use to access the existing database.
- database_name is the name of the existing database.
- database_name.sql is the name of the exported database file.
📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.
Use SFTP to copy the exported .sql file to the cloud server that will access your new database.
Use ssh to log in to the server.
If you don't have a MySQL client installed on your server, install one.
- On the Ubuntu operating system and Debian, install the client with the following command:
```
  sudo apt-get install mysql-client
```
- On Fedora and CentOS, install the client with the following command:
```
  sudo yum install mysql
```
Run the following MySQL import command:
```
mysql -h {hostname} -u {username} -p {database_name} < {database_name}.sql
```
- hostname is the long public hostname for the database instance that you copied in step 1.
- username is the username you use to access the database.
- database_name is the name of the new database in Cloud Databases.
- database_name.sql is the name of the exported database file.

The database is imported and ready to accept new data.

Import to a database with public access (HA group or Cloud Load Balancer)

After you create the database instance, view its details in the Cloud Control Panel and copy the hostname. The public hostname for an HA instance is a long string of numbers and letters with publb.rackspaceclouddb.com
at the end. You need the hostname in a later step.
On the machine where your existing database is located, run the following MySQL command to export the database:
```
 mysqldump -u {username} -p {database_name} > {database_name}.sql
```
- username is the username you use to access the existing database.
- database_name is the name of the existing database.
- database_name.sql is the name of the exported database file.
📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.
Run the following MySQL import command:
```
 mysql -h {hostname} -u {username} -p {database_name} < {database_name}.sql
```
- hostname is the long public hostname for the database instance that you copied in step 1.
- username is the username you use to access the database.
- database_name is the name of the new database.
- database_name.sql is the name of the exported database.

The database is imported and ready to accept new data.

Best Practices

Large imports to new HA or replicated Cloud Databases instances should use a single instance for the import and then convert to HA or add replicas after import. Importing to a replicated database or HA group causes every transaction to be replicated and can fill up binlogs quickly and place additional load on the new instance. It is more efficient to import to a single instance and then convert.

If you are importing between MySQL versions, such as from MySQL 5.1 to MySQL 5.6, or between different MySQL-based databases, such as from MySQL to MariaDB, review the release notes of the destination datastore to learn about possible issues that might modify the expected behavior of your application.

For an example of how to upgrade between versions of MySQL, see Upgrade a Cloud Databases instance from MySQL 5.1 to MySQL 5.6.

Limitations

A full instance export (with users and settings) requires root access on both the original and new database instances. Import or export of individual databases does not require root access.
Attempts to export or import the mysql system database tables (for example, mysql.user) can possibly lead to issues with the functionality of your database instance and require support intervention to recover.
Imports of views, triggers, procedures, or functions that have a definer other than the database user who is importing data fail because of a requirement for SUPER privilege.

Import Data into Cloud Databases

🚧
For imports of very large datasets or imports to mission critical database instances, we recommend working with the Cloud Databases support team, which is included in the cost of the database, to plan and determine the best course of action for your particular database.

📘
Before you begin, read through the Best practices and Limitations sections of this article.

Create a Cloud Databases instance to receive the data

📘
If you want to enable external access by using an HA instance group, you must pick that option when creating the database. See Manage Cloud Databases HA instance groups in the Cloud Control Panel for more detailed instructions.

📘
Changing configuration parameters after the import could have unexpected effects on the data and applications connecting to it.

Import data by using a Rackspace Cloud Server

📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.

Import to a database with public access (HA group or Cloud Load Balancer)

📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.

Best Practices

Limitations

External links

🚧For imports of very large datasets or imports to mission critical database instances, we recommend working with the Cloud Databases support team, which is included in the cost of the database, to plan and determine the best course of action for your particular database.

📘Before you begin, read through the Best practices and Limitations sections of this article.

Create a Cloud Databases instance to receive the data

📘If you want to enable external access by using an HA instance group, you must pick that option when creating the database. See Manage Cloud Databases HA instance groups in the Cloud Control Panel for more detailed instructions.

📘Changing configuration parameters after the import could have unexpected effects on the data and applications connecting to it.

Import data by using a Rackspace Cloud Server

📘If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.

Import to a database with public access (HA group or Cloud Load Balancer)

📘If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.

Best Practices

Limitations

External links

🚧
For imports of very large datasets or imports to mission critical database instances, we recommend working with the Cloud Databases support team, which is included in the cost of the database, to plan and determine the best course of action for your particular database.

📘
Before you begin, read through the Best practices and Limitations sections of this article.

📘
If you want to enable external access by using an HA instance group, you must pick that option when creating the database. See Manage Cloud Databases HA instance groups in the Cloud Control Panel for more detailed instructions.

📘
Changing configuration parameters after the import could have unexpected effects on the data and applications connecting to it.

📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.

📘
If you are exporting from a Cloud Databases instance, see exporting data for information about how to perform this action.