To generate a dump (backup) of your database and download it in Plesk. This process is helpful for backing up your database, migrating it, or keeping it as a precaution before making changes.
You can follow these steps:
Step 1: Log in to Plesk
- Open your Plesk control panel by navigating to
https://your-domain.com:8443(replaceyour-domain.comwith your actual domain or server IP address). - Enter your admin username and password to log in.
Step 2: Access the Database Management Section
- From the Plesk dashboard, go to the "Websites & Domains" tab.
- Under the domain for which you want to generate the database dump, click on "Databases". This will open the Database Management page.
Step 3: Choose the Database to Back Up
- You’ll see a list of databases associated with the selected domain.
- Find the database you want to back up and click on the "Export Dump" link (or Export button, depending on your Plesk version).
Step 4: Configure the Database Dump Settings
- Once you click on Export Dump, a dialog will appear asking you to configure the export options:
- Select the format: Usually, the default option will be SQL format, which is perfect for MySQL or PostgreSQL databases.
- You can choose additional options like structure (only database schema), data (only database data), or both.
- Choose the location:
- You will typically be given an option to download the dump directly to your computer or store it as a file on the server. If you choose the download option, Plesk will generate the dump file and provide a link to download it directly.
Step 5: Download the Database Dump
- After the dump has been generated, Plesk will provide a link to download the dump file.
- Click the download link to start downloading the database dump to your local computer. The file will usually have a
.sqlextension.
Step 6: (Optional) Verify the Dump
- After downloading, you can verify the contents of the dump file by opening it in a text editor or an SQL viewer. This is to ensure that the backup contains the expected tables, data, and structure.
Alternative Method: Using phpMyAdmin (for MySQL databases)
If you prefer using phpMyAdmin to generate a database dump:
- From the Databases page in Plesk, click on phpMyAdmin next to the database you want to back up.
- In phpMyAdmin, select the database on the left sidebar.
- Click on the Export tab at the top.
- Choose the Quick or Custom export method. For a full backup, select Custom, and ensure that all tables and data are selected.
- Choose the SQL format for the export.
- Click Go to generate the dump file.
- The file will automatically download to your computer.
By following these steps, you can easily generate a dump of your database and download it in Plesk. This process allows you to back up your database, migrate it, or store it safely for future use. Always ensure you have up-to-date backups, especially before making significant changes to your site or application.
