#### 17.1.2.4 Obtaining the Replication Source Binary Log Coordinates

 To configure the replica to start the replication process at the correct point, you need to note the source's current coordinates within its binary log.

Warning

 This procedure uses [`FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK`](flush.html#flush-tables-with-read-lock), which blocks [`COMMIT`](commit.html) operations for [`InnoDB`](innodb-storage-engine.html) tables.

 If you are planning to shut down the source to create a data snapshot, you can optionally skip this procedure and instead store a copy of the binary log index file along with the data snapshot. In that situation, the source creates a new binary log file on restart. The source binary log coordinates where the replica must start the replication process are therefore the start of that new file, which is the next binary log file on the source following after the files that are listed in the copied binary log index file.

 To obtain the source binary log coordinates, follow these steps:

1. Start a session on the source by connecting to it with the command-line client, and flush all tables and block write statements by executing the [`FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK`](flush.html#flush-tables-with-read-lock) statement:

   ```
   mysql> FLUSH TABLES WITH READ LOCK;
   ```

   Warning

    Leave the client from which you issued the [`FLUSH TABLES`](flush.html#flush-tables) statement running so that the read lock remains in effect. If you exit the client, the lock is released.

2. In a different session on the source, use the [`SHOW MASTER STATUS`](show-master-status.html) statement to determine the current binary log file name and position:

   ```
   mysql > SHOW MASTER STATUS;
   +------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
   | File             | Position | Binlog_Do_DB | Binlog_Ignore_DB |
   +------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
   | mysql-bin.000003 | 73       | test         | manual,mysql     |
   +------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
   ```

    The `File` column shows the name of the log file and the `Position` column shows the position within the file. In this example, the binary log file is `mysql-bin.000003` and the position is 73. Record these values. You need them later when you are setting up the replica. They represent the replication coordinates at which the replica should begin processing new updates from the source.

    If the source has been running previously with binary logging disabled, the log file name and position values displayed by [`SHOW MASTER STATUS`](show-master-status.html) or [**mysqldump --master-data**](mysqldump.html) are empty. In that case, the values that you need to use later when specifying the source's binary log file and position are the empty string (`''`) and `4`.

 You now have the information you need to enable the replica to start reading from the source's binary log in the correct place to start replication.

 The next step depends on whether you have existing data on the source. Choose one of the following options:

* If you have existing data that needs be to synchronized with the replica before you start replication, leave the client running so that the lock remains in place. This prevents any further changes being made, so that the data copied to the replica is in synchrony with the source. Proceed to [Section 17.1.2.5, “Choosing a Method for Data Snapshots”](replication-snapshot-method.html).

* If you are setting up a new source and replica combination, you can exit the first session to release the read lock. See [Section 17.1.2.6.1, “Setting Up Replication with New Source and Replicas”](replication-setup-replicas.html#replication-howto-newservers) for how to proceed.

