Managing Automated Backups

Configuring an Automated Backup Policy

Automated backups are generated according to a backup policy and saved as packages in OBS buckets to ensure data confidentiality and durability. You are advised to regularly back up your database, in case it becomes faulty or damaged. Backing up data affects the database read and write performance so you are advised to set the automated backup time window to off-peak hours.

When you create an instance, automated backup is enabled by default.

Figure 1 Enabling automated backup

• Retention Period: Automated backup files are saved for seven days by default. The backup retention period can range from 1 to 35 days. Full backups are retained till the retention period expires. However, even if the retention period has expired, the most recent backup will be retained.
  • Extending the retention period improves data reliability. You can extend the retention period as needed.
  • If you shorten the retention period, the new backup policy takes effect for existing backups. Any automated backups (including full and incremental backups) that have expired will be automatically deleted. Manual backups will not be automatically deleted but you can delete them manually.
  

  • If the retention period is less than seven days, the system automatically backs up data daily.
  • The system checks existing automated backups and deletes any backups that exceed the backup retention period you configured.
  • Time Window: A one-hour period the backup will be scheduled for, such as 10:00-11:00. The backup time is in GMT format. After the DST or standard time is switched, the backup time segment changes with the time zone.

  If Retention Period is set to 2, full and incremental backups that have been stored for more than two days will be automatically deleted. For instance, a backup generated on Monday will be deleted on Wednesday; or a backup generated on Tuesday will be deleted on Thursday.

  Policy for automatically deleting full backups:

  To ensure data integrity, even after the retention period expires, the most recent backup will be retained, for example,

  If Backup Cycle was set to Monday and Tuesday and the Retention Period was set to 2:

  • The full backup generated on Monday will be automatically deleted on Thursday. The reasons are as follows:

    The backup generated on Monday expires on Wednesday, but it is the last backup, so it will be retained until a new backup expires. The next backup will be generated on Tuesday and will expire on Thursday. So the full backup generated on Monday will not be automatically deleted until Thursday.

  • A full backup generated on Tuesday will be automatically deleted on the following Wednesday. The reasons are as follows:

    The backup generated on Tuesday will expire on Thursday, but as it is the last backup, so it will be retained until a new backup expires. The next backup will be generated on the following Monday and will expire on the following Wednesday. So the full backup generated on Tuesday will not be automatically deleted until the following Wednesday.

• Backup Cycle: All options are selected by default.
  • All: Each day of the week is selected. The system automatically backs up data every day.
  • Select a cycle: You can select one or more days in a week. The system automatically backs up data at the specified time.
  

  A full backup starts within one hour of the time you specify. The amount of time required for the backup depends on the amount of data to be backed up. The more data has to be backed up, the longer it will take.

• After the DB instance is created, you can modify the automated backup policy as needed. You can change the time window after the DB instance is created. The system backs up data based on an automated backup policy you configure.
• After the automated backup policy is disabled, any automated backups in progress stop immediately.

Modifying an Automated Backup Policy

1. Log in to the management console.
2. In the service list, choose Databases > GeminiDB.
3. On the Instances page, click the instance you want to back up.
4. Choose Backups & Restorations in the navigation pane one the left, and click Modify Backup Policy. In the displayed dialog box, configure the backup policy. Then, click OK.

   For details about how to set a backup policy, see Configuring an Automated Backup Policy.

   Figure 2 Modifying the backup policy
   

5. Check or manage the generated backups on the Backups or Backups & Restorations page.

Disabling Automated Backup

1. Log in to the management console.
2. In the service list, choose Databases > GeminiDB.
3. On the Instances page, click the instance you want to back up.
4. Choose Backups & Restorations in the navigation pane one the left, and click Modify Backup Policy.
5. In the displayed dialog box, click to disable automatic backup and click OK.
   Figure 3 Disabling automated backup
   
   When your disable automated backup, specify whether to delete the automated backups:

   • If you select Delete automated backups, all backup files within the retention period will be deleted. There are no automated backups displayed until you enable automated backup again.
   • If you do not select Delete automated backups, backup files within the retention period will be retained, but you can still manually delete them later if needed. For details, see Deleting an Automated Backup.

   If automated backup is disabled, any automated backups in progress stop immediately.

Deleting an Automated Backup

If automated backup is disabled, you can delete stored automated backups to free up storage space.

If automated backup is enabled, the system will delete automated backups when they expire. You cannot delete them manually.

Deleted backups cannot be recovered. Exercise caution when performing this operation.

• Method 1
  1. Log in to the management console.
  2. In the service list, choose Databases > GeminiDB.
  3. On the Instances page, click the instance whose automatic backups you want to delete.
  4. Choose Backups & Restorations in the navigation pane on the left, locate the backup you want to delete, and click Delete in the Operation column.
  5. In the displayed dialog box, confirm the backup details and click Yes.
• Method 2
  1. Log in to the management console.
  2. In the service list, choose Databases > GeminiDB.
  3. On the Backups page, locate the backup that you want to delete and click Delete.
  4. In the displayed dialog box, confirm the backup details and click Yes.