Schedule Database Backup

Schedule Daily Database Backup

You can set an automated schedule for backing up a server based database every day using the Windows Scheduled Tasks utility and the appropriate batch file available below.

Step 1: Download the batch file for your database below and save it on your database server.

For convenience, it is suggested that you save the file to the "C:\Program Files\Firebird" directory.
To download the batch file, right-click on the link and select "Save Target As" or "Save Link As".

Step 2: Schedule the batch file to run daily using the Windows Scheduled Tasks utility.

In Windows, go to Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Scheduled Tasks
or Start --> Run --> control.exe schedtasks
Click "Add a scheduled task"
Click "Next"
Click "Browse..." and then select the batch file you downloaded in Step 1.
Select the radio button to perform this task "Daily"
Click "Next"
Select a start time and then click the "Next" button.
Enter the user name and password for the Windows account which will be used to execute the task, and then click the "Next" button.
Click the "Finish" button.

Step 3: Run the scheduled task and confirm that the backup file is created successfully.

Double-click on the scheduled task you just created.
A console window will open and execute the command automatically before closing.
After the window closes, confirm that a backup file has been created in the folder at C:\Backup.
The backup file will be compressed, and may be much smaller than the uncompressed database file.
When finished, log off the computer and allow the backup task to run at it's scheduled time, and then confirm that a new file has been created when the task ran as scheduled.

More information about the batch file:

By default, the batch file will keep the 10 most recent backups of your database.
On the 11th day, the oldest backup file will be replaced with the current backup file.
Backup files are named using the database name plus a number at the end. The most recent backup file ends with the number 1. The oldest backup file ends with the number 10.
The default backup location is at C:\Backup.
The default number of copies to keep and the default backup location may be changed by editing the batch file in Notepad.
Right click on the batch file and select "Edit" to make changes.
Change only the values listed in the SET statements at the top of the batch file.
Make only one change at a time, and test between each change to aid troubleshooting if necessary.