> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kinetica.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Database Backup
## Database Backup
[SQL commands](/content/sql/backup_restore) can be used to initiate hot
*backups*, with *full*, *incremental*, & *differential snapshots*, and
restorations of schema objects & data within the database.
| Objects Backed Up | Objects Not Backed Up |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| \* [Credentials](/content/sql/ddl/create-credential#sql-create-credential)
\* [Data Sinks](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-sink#sql-create-data-sink)
\* [Data Sources](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-source#sql-create-data-source)
\* [Resource Groups](/content/sql/resource_group)
\* [Roles](/content/sql/security#sql-security-role-mgmt)
\* [SQL Procedures](/content/sql/procedure#sql-procedures)
\* [SQL-GPT Contexts](/content/sql/sqlgpt#sql-gpt-create-context)
\* [Streams](/content/sql/ddl/create-stream#sql-create-stream)
\* [Tables](/content/sql/ddl/create-table#sql-create-table)
\* [UDFs](/content/sql/udf)
\* [UDF Environments](/content/sql/udf#sql-create-function-environment)
\* [Users](/content/sql/security#sql-security-user-mgmt)
\* [Views](/content/sql/ddl/create-view#sql-create-view) | \* [Graphs](/content/sql/graph)
\* [KiFS Files](/content/sql/kifs)
\* [ML Models/Containers](/content/sql/ml)
\* [Symbols](/content/api/rest/insert_symbol_rest) |
* For the set of SQL commands for database *backup*, see
[Database Backup/Restore](/content/sql/backup_restore).
* For a full system backup, see [System Backup](/content/admin/backup_restore#system-backup).
### Snapshot Types
Three types of *snapshots* are supported for database objects & data:
* **full** - *snapshot* of the given database objects & data
* **incremental** - *snapshot* of the changes in the database objects & data
since the last *snapshot* of any kind
* **differential** - *snapshot* of the changes in the database objects & data
since the last *full snapshot*
### Backup Storage
Database *backup* files will be transferred to the target specified in the given
[data sink](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-sink#sql-create-data-sink). There, they will be stored
under two levels of directories: the top-level directory will be the name of
the database *backup* and the subdirectory will be the timestamp the *snapshot*
was taken; e.g.:
```
//ki_backup_info.json
//.mdb
///.mdb
///rank-/tom-/*
```
A new *backup* will result in the creation of a directory with the corresponding
*backup* name, as well as a *snapshot* timestamp directory with the
*full snapshot* files. An *incremental* or *differential snapshot* for a given
*backup* will result in the creation of another *snapshot* timestamp directory,
under the *backup* directory, containing all the files for that *snapshot*.
A [data source](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-source#sql-create-data-source) is required to retrieve
detail about *backups* and restore database objects & data from them. The
*data source* must point to the same remote store as the *data sink* through
which a *backup* was created in order to access and restore from it.
### Backup Use Case
A typical usage of the backup feature is:
* create a *backup*, taking an initial *full snapshot*
* schedule iterative *incremental* or *differential snapshots*
* restore a *backup*
#### Initial Backup
To create the initial *backup*, run a [CREATE BACKUP](/content/sql/backup_restore#sql-backup-create)
statement, in SQL, that specifies:
* the name to use for the *backup*--the backed-up database object set
* the [data sink](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-sink#sql-create-data-sink) that will be used to
transfer the backed-up files to the remote store (e.g., s3)
* the set of database objects to back up
For example, to create an initial *backup* with the following parameters:
* `daily_backup` - name of the *backup*
* `backup_ds` - *data sink* targeting the remote file service
* `example_backup` - name of the [schema](/content/sql/ddl/create-schema#sql-create-schema)
to back up
```sql Create Initial Backup Example theme={null}
CREATE BACKUP daily_backup
DATA SINK = backup_ds
OBJECTS (ALL = example_backup)
```
#### Schedule Iterative Snapshots
To schedule iterative *snapshots* after the initial *backup* is done, create a
[SQL procedure](/content/sql/procedure) that specifies:
* the name of the backed-up database object set (same as the initial *backup*)
* the [data sink](/content/sql/ddl/create-data-sink#sql-create-data-sink) that will be used to
transfer the *snapshots* to the remote store (same as the initial *backup*)
* the schedule for running the incremental *snapshots*
For example, to schedule incremental *snapshots* with the following parameters:
* `daily_backup` - name of the *backup* to which *snapshots* will be added
* `backup_ds` - *data sink* targeting the remote file service
* `1 DAY` - daily *snapshot* interval
* `STARTING AT...2025-01-01` - starting at a date in the past causes the
first *snapshot* to be taken at the next possible time interval
* `STARTING AT...00:00:00` - schedule the *snapshot* to be taken at midnight
```sql Schedule Iterative Snapshots Example theme={null}
CREATE PROCEDURE scheduled_backup
BEGIN
BACKUP daily_backup
DATA SINK = backup_ds
END
EXECUTE FOR EVERY 1 DAY STARTING AT '2025-01-01 00:00:00';
```
#### Restore Backup
To restore database objects and table data from the latest *snapshot* in a
*backup*, using the following parameters:
* `daily_backup` - name of the *backup* to restore
* `restore_ds` - *data source* targeting the remote file service
* `example_backup` - name of the [schema](/content/sql/ddl/create-schema#sql-create-schema)
to restore
* `replace` - any exising database object will be overwritten by its
counterpart from the *backup*
```sql Restore Backup Example theme={null}
RESTORE BACKUP daily_backup
DATA SOURCE = restore_ds
OBJECTS (ALL = example_backup)
WITH OPTIONS (RESTORE_POLICY = 'replace')
```