# How to run mysql clone on a server
## 1. Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure both servers meet these requirements:
- **Version:** Both must be MySQL 8.0.17 or higher.
- **Operating System:** Must be the same (e.g., both Linux).
- **Plugins:** The `clone_plugin` must be installed on both.
## 2. Step-by-Step Configuration
### Phase A: Prepare the Donor (Primary)
Log into your **Primary** server and run:
```
-- Install the plugin
INSTALL PLUGIN clone SONAME 'mysql_clone.so';
-- Create a replication user with cloning permissions
CREATE USER 'clone_user'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
GRANT BACKUP_ADMIN ON *.* TO 'clone_user'@'%';
```
### Phase B: Prepare the Recipient (Replica)
Log into your **New Replica** server and run:
```
-- Install the plugin
INSTALL PLUGIN clone SONAME 'mysql_clone.so';
-- Allow the recipient to be overwritten by the donor
SET GLOBAL clone_valid_donor_list = 'primary-ip-address:3306';
```
### Phase C: Execute the Clone
On the **Recipient** server, trigger the data transfer. **Warning:** This will delete all existing data on the recipient and restart the MySQL service automatically after completion.
```
CLONE INSTANCE FROM 'clone_user'@'primary-ip-address':3306 IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
```
---
## 3. Completing the Replication
The beauty of the Clone plugin is that it automatically captures the **Binary Log** coordinates (GTID or filename/position) during the transfer.
Once the recipient restarts, log back in and check the status:
```
SELECT BINLOG_FILE, BINLOG_POS FROM performance_schema.clone_status;
```
### Option 1: If using GTIDs (Recommended)
If your primary uses GTIDs, replication might start automatically or simply require:
```
CHANGE REPLICATION SOURCE TO
SOURCE_HOST='primary-ip-address',
SOURCE_USER='repl_user',
SOURCE_PASSWORD='password',
SOURCE_AUTO_POSITION=1;
START REPLICA;
```
### Option 2: If using Binary Log Position
```
-- Use the coordinates found in performance_schema.clone_status
CHANGE REPLICATION SOURCE TO
SOURCE_HOST='primary-ip-address',
SOURCE_USER='repl_user',
SOURCE_PASSWORD='password',
SOURCE_LOG_FILE='binlog.00000X',
SOURCE_LOG_POS=123;
START REPLICA;
```