Initially, Sypex Dumper was created to work with large databases, while he was supposed to be quickest, compact and convenient..
Impressive speed
In Sypex Dumper 2, the algorithms for export/import in large databases were greatly optimized. It runs 7-8 times faster than the old version, and much faster than any other scripts or desktop applications. As to comparative testing, you can find it on the page ‘Comparison’.
Huge database
Sypex Dumper 2 intelligently works with dumps and allocates memory carefully. In developing and testing of a new version of the dumper, some large databases with size over 1 000 Mb were used, while most competitors start having problems even with bases of 100 Mb. In fact, the only restrictions for the dumper are the limits of PHP itself. 32-bit versions of PHP do not work with files over 4 Gb...
Smart backup
Sypex Dumper 2 has gained in wisdom, it utilizes a new approach for dumping. Prior to that, all utilities were designed to create a dump for the console MySQL. But in the new version, we used a different approach. Now the dump is built on the principle of minimum required data, but at the same time we introduced post-processing.
For example, you would not find in the dump such instructions as "drop table", "turn on/off indexes", etc. Dumper adds all the necessary instructions in the recovery process. In addition, you can change the recovery strategy.
4 options are available:
- CREATE + INSERT – he standard mode of recovery;
- TRUNCATE + INSERT – in this mode there is no waste of time for creating tables;
- REPLACE – if you want to restore old data to a working database, while retaining your new data in it;
- INSERT IGNORE – in this case, you can add to the base some deleted data or new data, retaining your existing data in it.
For any of these actions in other programs, you would have to re-do a dump with the correct settings or manually edit the file and then restore. In Dumper, you just select the option of restoring the dump that already exists.
A Pro version also allows you to selectively restore any objects of a dump. That is, if you need to update only one small table, you do not need to re-do a dump, you just select the table from the existing dump.
Smart work with encodings
Dumper is working correctly with character sets; it makes the export of objects in the "native" encoding, unlike others which re-encode everything into UTF-8. In a dump, there can be objects with different encodings at the same time. Such a dump occupies less space and time isn’t wasted for recoding.
Support for MySQL 5.1
The new version of dumper can work with new MySQL objects, introduced by version 5.0 (presentation, procedures, functions and triggers) and 5.1 (events). At the same time, the dumper makes the export intelligently. For example, if there are dependent representations (e.g., view_2 utilizes view_1), then the dumper places them in the dump in the order of dependence, rather than alphabetically. May its competitors don’t know this, and it causes restoration errors.
No page reloads
Sypex Dumper 2 works with AJAX, thus achieving responsiveness of the interface like in desktop applications. And no page reloads.
Convenient interface
The new Web 2.0 interface uses all the latest developments in web-technologies. These are: separation of data and design, AJAX, CSS-sprites, correct use of ‘expire’ headers (allowing for even faster loading of interface), the new form elements.
Such an unique functionality as a tree of objects with 3-position checkboxes became possible. That allows for applying the option ‘only the structure’ or ‘structure and data’ to a single table, rather than a general setting for the dump, as our competitors allow.
With this feature, you can do a dump, which will have all the data, and instead of a huge log table only the table structure will be added to the dump, and this is done in just one click. Also it will be convenient for web-developers who need to clear some of the tables, while creating a dump to be transferred to the client.
Work with timeouts
The new version of dumper can do import/export in several stages. I.e., if you have server’s severe restrictions as to execution time of scripts, Dumper is able to automatically stop and continue its work from the last stopping point, bypassing the restrictions of the server.
New file format
New file format is compatible with conventional SQL-dump, but is geared for maximum speed. And it also contains meta-information about the dump, allowing you to see the contents of the dump. And the Pro version is also capable of selective restoring of dump’s objects.
Additional features
Service functions of MySQL (check, optimize and repair tables, etc.), create/drop databases, easily viewable list of files with the possibility of removal. Connection settings and options of the dumper are set through its interface.
Pro version has more features: truncate/drop tables, enabling/disabling indexes, change/correction of encodings.
Saving of tasks
You can save tasks for export/import for further rapid use from the interface or the command line (console, cron).
Automatic deletion
Automatic deletion of dumps based on their origin time and their number allows to delete old backup files.
Authentication chains
In Sypex Dumper 2, you can use different types of authentication, including the custom (user) authentication for integration into other products (forums, CMS, etc.). There is an ability to work without authentication as well. The Instructions for integration of the dumper into third-party products can be found on the corresponding documentation page.
Process control
New dumper not only demonstrates the progress of work, but also allows you to pause or stop the working process. Now Dumper shows the remaining execution time. Not to mention the fact that the showing of progress occurs immediately after launch, unlike the old version which had a delay. Also, the progress information is showed in the title bar, and that allows you to see information about the progress even while being in another tab of the browser.
Multilingual
 Sypex Dumper 2 adds support for localization files. Now you can choose the language for the interface. Standard kit contains 3 languages: English, Russian and Ukrainian. Other languages can be found on the Download page.
Key features, briefly
- backup and restore of MySQL database without using third-party programs, just pure PHP;
- work with databases of any size (ranging from a few kilobytes to thousands of megabytes); therefore all the work with the backup files is done via FTP, but it’s possible to use a download manager for downloading (Download Master, Reget, etc.);
- impressive performance*;
- support for two formats, file compression ** (Gzip and Bzip2), as well as varying degrees of compression for GZip;
- friendly Web 2.0 interface with AJAX;
- work in several stages (to bypass the restrictions about time);
- special file format with the meta-information;
- MySQL service functions (check, optimize, repair);
- works on Windows and Linux;
- smart backup with post-processing;
- smart work with encodings;
- saving tasks for quick use;
- automatic deletion of old files;
- custom (user) authentication;
- process control (stop/pause/continue);
- the possibility for multiple users to work with one copy of the script;
- compact size (about 150 KB);
- easily installed and configured;
- occupies little memory during operation.
* — data from our comparative test, the results of which can be found here;
** — if the respective PHP-modules are installed;
*** — when restoring, database progress is only showed for files created by the dumper.
