You cannot manually back up your ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB instance. You can configure a backup policy that allows ApsaraDB RDS to automatically back up the RDS instance.

Usage notes

  • Backup files occupy backup storage. Each RDS instance is allocated a free quota on backup storage. If the amount of backup storage that you use exceeds the free quota, you are charged for the excess backup storage that you use. We recommend that you specify a backup cycle based on your business requirements to maximize the usage of the free quota. For more information about the free quota on backup storage, see View the free quota for backup storage of an ApsaraDB RDS for MariaDB instance.
  • We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the billing methods and billable items. For more information, see Billable items, billing methods, and pricing.
  • For more information about the billing rules of the backup storage usage, see ApsaraDB RDS pricing.
  • Do not execute DDL statements during a backup operation. If DDL statements are executed during a backup operation, the relevant tables are locked and the backup operation fails.
  • We recommend that you back up your RDS instance during off-peak hours.
  • If your RDS instance has a large amount of data, a backup may require a long period of time to complete.
  • Backup files are retained for a specified period of time. Before the specified retention period elapses, we recommend that you download the backup files to your computer.

Backup description

Database engineData backupLog backup
MariaDBSnapshot backup is supported. Physical backup and logical backup are not supported.
  • Log files occupy the storage capacity of the RDS instance.
  • If the size of a log file exceeds 500 MB or the period of time during which log data is being written to a log file exceeds 6 hours, a new log file is generated. The original log file is asynchronously uploaded.
  • You can use the Upload Binlogs feature to upload log files to an Object Storage Service (OSS) bucket. This does not affect the data restoration of the RDS instance, and log files no longer occupy the storage capacity of the RDS instance.
Note The OSS bucket in which the log files are stored is inaccessible.

Configure a backup policy for automatic backups

ApsaraDB RDS automatically backs up your RDS instance based on the backup policy that you specify.

  1. Access RDS Instances, select a region at the top, and then click the ID of the target RDS instance.
  2. In the left-side navigation pane, click Backup and Restoration.
  3. On the page that appears, click the Backup Settings tab. Then, click Edit.
  4. In the Backup Settings dialog box, configure the backup policy and click Save. The following table describes the parameters.
    ParameterDescription
    Data Backup Retention (Days)The number of days for which you want to retain data backup files. Valid values: 7 to 730. Default value: 7.
    Backup CycleThe cycle based on which you want to perform a backup. You can select one or more days of the week.
    Note For data security purposes, we recommend that you select at least two days of the week.
    Backup TimeThe period in hours during which you want to perform a backup.
    Log BackupSpecifies whether to enable or disable the log backup feature.
    Important If you disable this feature, all log backup files are deleted and you cannot restore the data of the RDS instance to a specified point in time.
    Log Retention Period (Days)
    • The number of days for which you want to retain log backup files. Valid values: 7 to 730. Default value: 7.
    • The log retention period must be less than or equal to the data retention period.

FAQ

  1. Can I disable the data backup feature for my RDS instance?

    No, you cannot disable the data backup feature for your RDS instance. The data backup retention period must be within the range of 7 to 730 days.

  2. Can I disable the log backup feature for my RDS instance?

    Yes, you can disable the log backup feature for your RDS instance. To disable the feature, log on to the ApsaraDB RDS console, go to the Backup Settings tab of your RDS instance, and then modify the backup settings.

Related operations

OperationDescription
Create a backup fileCreates a backup task for an instance.
Query the data backup filesQueries the backup files of an instance.
Query backup settingsQueries the backup settings of an instance.
Modify backup settingsModifies the backup settings of an instance.
Query backup tasksQueries the backup tasks of an instance.
Query log backup filesQueries the log files of an instance.