title: MySQL database backup: performance issues
body: <p>Folks, </p>
  
  <p>I'm trying to set up a regular backup of a rather large production database (half a gig) that has both InnoDB and MyISAM tables. I've been using mysqldump so far, but I find that it's taking increasingly longer periods of time, and the server is <em>completely</em> unresponsive while mysqldump is running. </p>
  
  <p>I wanted to ask for your advice: how do I either</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>Make mysqldump backup non-blocking - assign low priority to the process or something like that, OR</p></li>
  <li><p>Find another backup mechanism that will be better/faster/non-blocking. </p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>I know of the existence of MySQL Enterprise Backup product (http://www.mysql.com/products/enterprise/backup.html) - it's expensive and this is not an option for this project. </p>
  
  <p>I've read about setting up a second server as a "replication slave", but that's not an option for me either (this requires hardware, which costs $$). </p>
  
  <p>Thank you!</p>
  
  <p>UPDATE: more info on my environment: Ubuntu, latest LAMPP, Amazon EC2.</p>