The --apply-log option in the mysqlbackup command prepares the backup for restoration by applying the changes from the InnoDB log files to ensure the data is consistent and ready to be restored.

On most Linux distributions, you can stop the MySQL server using the systemctl stop mysqld command, which sends a shutdown signal to the MySQL service.

MySQL InnoDB Cluster ensures data consistency through Group Replication with quorum-based voting, where the majority of nodes must agree on a transaction before it is committed. This prevents conflicting data and maintains consistency across the cluster.

The Information Schema in MySQL is a set of read-only tables that provide metadata about the database structure, such as information about tables, columns, and indexes.

MySQL Enterprise Backup allows for online backups without the need to lock tables, making it an essential tool for minimizing downtime during backup operations. This feature is particularly important for large databases where maintaining availability during backup is critical.