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Manual databases and backups

Databases and backups

Provision database instances, manage access, and protect databases and Docker volumes.

Serversinc can provision or adopt database containers on a managed server, then back up their logical databases to object storage. Docker volumes can use the same backup system.

Database and backup operations are asynchronous. Start the operation, then use its status and failure details to confirm the result.

Database instances and logical databases

Section titled “Database instances and logical databases”

A database instance is the PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MariaDB service running on a server. A logical database lives inside that instance. One server can run multiple database instances, and each instance can contain multiple logical databases and users.

Keeping these terms separate matters during backups and restores: you select an instance as the service and one or more logical databases as the data.

Provision a database instance

Section titled “Provision a database instance”

Choose an engine and supported version from the server’s Databases tab. Serversinc creates the persistent storage, starts the database container, and reports whether provisioning succeeds.

Supported engines are:

  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MariaDB

The available version list is engine-specific. Check the compatibility reference before choosing a version for data you expect to restore from another instance.

Import an existing database

Section titled “Import an existing database”

Import an existing container when the database already runs on a managed server. Select the container and engine, then provide an administrative username and password so Serversinc can inspect and manage it.

Importing adopts the database into Serversinc. It should not be treated as a migration or a fresh installation. Confirm the engine and credentials before submitting the import.

Manage databases and users

Section titled “Manage databases and users”

Within an instance, you can:

  • Create and drop logical databases
  • Create and drop application users
  • Rotate a user’s password
  • Grant a user access to a logical database

New and rotated passwords are one-time credentials. Save them when they are shown. Serversinc does not return the same plaintext password later.

Dropping a database or user is destructive. Take a backup and check application dependencies first.

Add a storage provider

Section titled “Add a storage provider”

Backups are stored in an organisation-level S3-compatible storage provider. Serversinc supports configuration for S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces, and custom compatible endpoints.

A storage provider records:

  • Endpoint and region
  • Bucket and optional prefix
  • Access key and write-only secret key
  • Verification status and failure reason

Serversinc verifies credentials when the provider is saved. A provider cannot be deleted while a backup still references it.

Create a backup

Section titled “Create a backup”

Database backups can cover the full instance or selected logical databases. A full backup may appear as a batch containing one item per logical database plus database-level globals.

Volume backups capture a named Docker volume reported by the server.

For either type, choose the destination storage provider and follow the status until it completes. Failed backups record the stage and reason that stopped the operation.

Download, lock, and delete backups

Section titled “Download, lock, and delete backups”

A completed backup can produce a short-lived download URL. Treat the downloaded archive as production data.

Lock a backup or batch to keep retention from pruning it. Unlock it before deletion. Deleting a backup removes both its stored archive and its Serversinc record.

Restore or transfer data

Section titled “Restore or transfer data”

Restore a completed backup to its source server or another server in the same organisation. A restore to another server transfers the backup data to that machine.

Database restores require a compatible target instance. Serversinc checks the database engine and version rules before starting, and protects existing target names from accidental replacement.

A volume restore can target a different name. Enabling overwrite allows the restore to replace data already present at the target, so inspect that option carefully.

Each backup keeps its restore history, including the target, status, and time.

Configure retention

Section titled “Configure retention”

Retention is configured per server with two optional limits:

  • Maximum backup age in days
  • Maximum number of backups to keep

Locked backups are excluded from pruning. Leave a field empty when that limit should not apply. The exact order and interaction of retention rules belongs in the backup reference.

Next steps

Section titled “Next steps”