Database Backups limitations

Some limitations apply to accessing Database Backup files in the VIP Dashboard or with VIP-CLI.

• Only 1 database backup file per environment can be prepared for download at a time.
• An “Active Backup Copy” is only available for download for 24 hours or until a new database backup copy is requested.
• When configuring a database backup copy for specific tables:
  • Characters in the names of requested tables are limited to letters (A-Z, a-z), numbers (0-9), hyphens (-), and underscores (_).
  • Requests for non-existent tables will not trigger an error. If only one table is requested, and it does not exist, an empty database backup file will be generated.

Limitations for request frequency

A limit to the frequency of backup files that can be generated on demand includes the scheduled backup files that are generated by default for an environment. For example, if a fresh database backup file for a production environment is requested less than 15 minutes after a scheduled backup occurred, the request will be denied.

• Production: 1 backup per 15 minute rolling window of time.
• Non-production: 1 backup per 60 minute rolling window of time for a non-production environment.

Limitations for request volume

A limit to the number of backup files that can be generated on demand includes the scheduled backup files that are generated by default for an environment.

• Production: A total of 12 requests per 24 hour rolling window of time.
• Non-production: A total of 4 requests per 24 hour rolling window of time.

Limitations for large and complex databases

Special limitations apply to environments that have very large or complex databases.

If a database is large or complex it will be indicated in:

• The VIP Dashboard: An information notice that displays the text “This is a large or complex database and backup files are generated with MyDumper“.
• VIP-CLI: The vip export sql command will output a warning message in the terminal to notify the user that the requested backup file is generated by the MyDumper tool.

Backup files for databases that are very large or complex are generated with the MyDumper backup tool. MyDumper is an open source tool that increases the speed and performance of backup file generation for SQL databases.

• Partial backup files (i.e. only for specific database tables or for specific network sites) cannot be generated for large or complex databases. Only backup files for an entire database can be generated.
• Backup files generated by MyDumper are incompatible with standard MySQL tools and must be loaded with the companion tool, MyLoader.
• The value .mydumper is appended to the name of a backup file that is generated by the MyDumper backup tool (i.e. *.mydumper.sql.gz).