Two tools to make back-ups of your Joomla database

Backing up your Joomla database is important.  Why, you ask?  Well, for the simple reason that the database is the most important part of your website.  Templates can be re-installed, just like plug-ins, modules and components.  But without your database, you’re doomed.  It contains all articles, and anything Joomla related that was created over time.  Users, Newsletters, forum posts, links, menu item…   If you don’t have a back-up of your database to fall back on when you run into problems, you probably have to start all over. 

That’s why it’s important to back-up your Joomla database.  There might be “Joomla” ways to do this, but I’ve always preferred to do this manually.  To back-up your Joomla database, you’ll need to use a tool which allows you to access / manage your MySQL databases – whether they’re stored on a local machine or on the server of your hosting company.  Below, you’ll find two tools that I regularly use to get the job done. 

1.  PHPMyadmin:  Used so often, that it’s considered to be a “standard” by many.  This tool is mainly used to manage databases; and might already be installed on your server.  By using the export function of this tool, you’ll get the SQL code you need to rebuild your database later on.  Downside: You’ve got to paste it in notepad / your editor of choice and save it yourself.

2. PHPMybackuppro:  This free tool has one goal: to allow you to back-up your databases in a simple way.  It offers many options, like mailing the back-ups or FTP’ing them to a remote location.  The big advantage of this tool is that, once it’s configured, making a back-up is as simple as pressing the “back up” button”.  Or, if you’ve managed to schedule back-ups, you don’t even have to do a thing. 

With these two tools, you should be able to do the job.  In a future post, I’ll summarize how to make a back-up with PHPMyadmin.