diff --git a/bash/backup-mysql.sh b/bash/backup-mysql.sh
index 4af05e0..53f9f6c 100644
--- a/bash/backup-mysql.sh
+++ b/bash/backup-mysql.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 ##
- # Backup all mySQL databases
+ # Backup mySQL databases in separate sql dumps
  #
  # @copyright   2013 Steffen Vogel
  # @license     http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt GNU Public License
@@ -22,18 +22,91 @@
  # along with this script. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  ##
 
-TIMESTAMP=$(date +"%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S")
-BACKUP_DIR="/backup/mysql/$TIMESTAMP"
-MYSQL_USER="backup"
-MYSQL=/usr/bin/mysql
-MYSQL_PASSWORD="password"
-MYSQLDUMP=/usr/bin/mysqldump
+set -e
 
-DATABASES=`$MYSQL -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e "SHOW DATABASES;" | grep -Ev "(Database|information_schema|performance_schema)"`
+function usage {
+	cat <<-EOF
+		Usage: $(basename $0) [-u USER] [-p PASSWORD] DIR
 
-mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR
-for db in $DATABASES; do
-	$MYSQLDUMP --force --opt --user=$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD --events --databases $db | gzip > "$BACKUP_DIR/$db.gz"
+		   DIR is the directory for the backups (defaults to cwd)
+
+		Options:
+		  -u	mysql username
+		  -p	mysql password
+		  -h	show this help
+		  -d	enable verbose output
+
+		written by Steffen Vogel <post@steffenvogel.de>
+	EOF
+}
+
+function deps() {
+	FAILED=0
+	for DEP in $*; do
+		if ! which ${DEP} &>/dev/null; then
+			echo -e "This script requires ${DEP} to run but it is not installed."
+			((FAILED++))
+		fi
+	done
+	return ${FAILED}
+}
+
+if ! deps mysql mysqldump; then
+	echo -e "mysql tools missing!"
+	echo
+	usage
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+# parse arguments
+while getopts "u:p:hd" OPT; do
+	case ${OPT} in
+		p) MYSQL_PASS=${OPTARG} ;;
+		u) MYSQL_USER=${OPTARG} ;;
+		d) V=1 ;;
+		h)
+			usage
+			exit 0 ;;
+		*)
+			usage
+			exit 1
+	esac
 done
 
+# clear all options and reset the command line
+shift $((OPTIND-1))
+
+# parsing backup directory
+if [ -n "$1" ]; then
+        DIR=$(readlink -f $1)
+else
+	DIR=$(pwd)
+fi
+
+# mySQL options
+OPTS=""
+if [ -n "$MYSQL_USER" ]; then
+	OPTS+=" -u$MYSQL_USER"
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$MYSQL_PASS" ]; then
+	OPTS+=" -p$MYSQL_PASS"
+fi
+
+# get all databases
+DATABASES=`mysql $OPTS -e "SHOW DATABASES;" | grep -Ev "(Database|information_schema|performance_schema)"`
+DATE=$(date +%F_%H-%M-%S)
+
+mkdir -p $DIR/$DATE
+ln -rsfT $DIR/$DATE/ $DIR/latest
+
+[ -z "$V" ] || echo "Starting mySQL backup: $(date)"
+[ -z "$V" ] || echo "$(echo '$DATABASES' | wc -l) databases"
+[ -z "$V" ] || echo "Backup directory: $DIR/$DATE"
+for db in $DATABASES; do
+	[ -z "$V" ] || echo -n "Dumping $db ..."
+	mysqldump $OPTS --force --opt --events --databases $db | gzip > "$DIR/$DATE/$db.sql.gz"
+	[ -z "$V" ] || echo -e "\b\b\binto $DIR/$DATE/$db.sql.gz ($(du -h $DIR/$DATE/$db.sql.gz | cut -f1))"
+done
+[ -z "$V" ] || echo "Finished mySQL backup: $(date) ($(du -hs $DIR/$DATE/ | cut -f1))"