Regular backups are essential for effective website management. Creating backups of your files and databases weekly, monthly, or before implementing significant changes ensures you have a recovery option in case of data loss.
A MySQL database backup focuses solely on the data within a particular database. While this helps safeguard important information used by various scripts, it only serves as a partial backup. It does not include DNS records, home directory files, or other system configurations.
To download a backup of your MySQL Database:
STEP 1: Log in to cPanel.
There are two methods to log into your cPanel.
- Method 1: Log in to your cPanel directly.
- Method 2: Log in to your cPanel through your Customer Portal.
Through your Customer Portal;
- Log in to your Customer Portal.
- Click on "Log in to cPanel".
STEP 2: Locate the Files section and click on Backup.
STEP 3: To perform a partial backup, navigate to the Partial Backups section and select Download a MySQL Database Backup. Next, you can just click on the specific database name you wish to back up.
The backup file will be saved in a .sql.gz format, which can be accessed using the Linux command line. For Windows-based systems, you can extract the file using compatible software.
To restore a backup of your MySQL Database:
Warning: Restoring a backup will overwrite any existing files!
STEP 1: Log in to cPanel (Refer to the steps above if you need guidance on accessing your cPanel.)
STEP 2: Locate the Files section and click on Backup.
STEP 3: Under Partial Backups, locate Restore a MySQL Database Backup and click the Browse option.
STEP 4: In the popup window that appears, navigate to the desired location and select the backup file you wish to restore.
STEP 5: Click Open.
STEP 6: Click Upload.
A popup will appear, showing the database name and the status of the restoration process. This popup is for confirmation only and can be safely closed.
