---
title: "Back up a database on a node"
description: "Add the MySQL server on a Linux node, or SQL Server on a Windows node, to its CDP Backup."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "cdp-backup"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/cdp-backup/how-to/back-up-a-database-on-a-node/"
topic: ["set-up"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/cdp-backup/how-to/turn-on-cdp-backup/"]}
---

# Back up a database on a node

CDP Backup can also back up the database server you run on a node: MySQL on a Linux node, or SQL
Server on a Windows node. Turn this on for every node that runs one. For MySQL, the backup holds
MySQL's data files, not a table-by-table export.

These steps are for a database you run yourself on a node. A DBaaS instance has its own backups;
see [DBaaS](/myaccount/database/).

## Before you begin

- CDP Backup is on for the node; see
  [Turn on CDP Backup for a node](/myaccount/cdp-backup/how-to/turn-on-cdp-backup/).
- For MySQL, you have the username and password of an admin account, and you have tested them on
  the node, for example with `mysql -u <username> -p`, where `<username>` is the admin account's
  name. MyAccount saves them without checking.

## Back up MySQL on a Linux node

1. In **Manage CDP Backups**, click the node and open its **CDP Backup Details** tab.
2. Click the pencil beside **MySQL Database Backup Status**.
   **Backup Configuration for Node** opens.
3. Enter the admin account in **MySQL Server Username** and **MySQL Server Password**.
4. Click **Activate**.

"Database settings has been updated successfully." confirms the change.

Keeping the saved credentials right is up to you. While the credentials are wrong, each backup still
runs and keeps the node's files, but leaves the database out. If the node's **CDP Backup Details**
tab shows "One or more database instances failed discovery", check the credentials and save them
again.

To change the credentials later, for example after you change the password in MySQL, repeat these
steps with the new ones.

## Back up SQL Server on a Windows node

1. In **Manage CDP Backups**, click the node and open its **CDP Backup Details** tab.
2. Click the pencil beside **SQL Database Backup Status**.
3. Check **Backup Databases**, and click **Activate**.

## Check that the database is in the backup

On the node's **CDP Backup Details** tab, **MySQL Database Backup Status** or
**SQL Database Backup Status** reads **Configured** once your settings are saved, and
**Not Configured** before.

The next backup includes the database server. After it runs, check that the node's
**CDP Backup Details** tab does not show "One or more database instances failed discovery". If it
does, see
[One or more database instances failed discovery](/myaccount/cdp-backup/troubleshooting/cdp-backup/#one-or-more-database-instances-failed-discovery).

To keep a separate copy of a MySQL database that you can load with the `mysql` client, see
[Back up a MySQL database to E2E Object Storage](/myaccount/object-storage/how-to/back-up-a-mysql-database-to-object-storage/).

To bring a database back, restore its data files, check file permissions, and restart
the database server. See
[Restore files from a recovery point](/myaccount/cdp-backup/how-to/restore-files-from-a-recovery-point/).
For other failures, see
[Troubleshooting CDP Backup](/myaccount/cdp-backup/troubleshooting/cdp-backup/).