---
title: "Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots"
description: "Back up a MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL DBaaS instance with a snapshot, and restore the snapshot into a new DBaaS instance."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "database"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/database/how-to/create-and-restore-a-snapshot/"
topic: ["backup-and-recovery"]
---

# Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots

Back up a DBaaS instance with a snapshot: a point-in-time copy that you can restore into a new DBaaS
instance once its status reads **Complete**. You pay for the storage each snapshot uses, manual or
scheduled, until you delete it.

## Before you begin

- The DBaaS instance is **Running**, to take a snapshot.
- On a prepaid account, you have enough infra credits to run a new DBaaS instance for about 24
  hours, to restore one.

## Take a snapshot

1. On the DBaaS instance's **Snapshots** tab, click **Take Snapshot**.
2. Enter a **Snapshot Name**.
3. Click **Create Snapshot**. The snapshot appears on the **Snapshots** tab and reads **Complete**
   when it is ready.

## Restore a snapshot

Restoring a snapshot launches a new, separate DBaaS instance from the snapshot's data. Your existing
DBaaS instance keeps running unchanged. A snapshot stays in MyAccount; to keep a copy of the data on
your own machine, export it with the engine's dump tool, as
[Import a database into a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/database/how-to/import-a-database/) shows.

1. Once the snapshot reads **Complete**, open its row menu and click **Create New Cluster**.
2. Under **Database Cluster**, enter a name for the new DBaaS instance.
3. Choose its plan: the original's plan or a higher one. Bill it hourly while you check the restored
   data, or choose a committed plan for a DBaaS instance you will keep.
4. Click **Create New Cluster**.

The new DBaaS instance keeps the original's database username and password. It starts with an empty
whitelist, which lets any IP address with valid credentials connect. Attach its VPC and parameter
group, and add the whitelist entries it needs:
[Attach a VPC to a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/database/how-to/attach-a-vpc-to-a-database/),
[Whitelist an IP address for a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/database/how-to/whitelist-an-ip-address/),
and
[Attach a parameter group to a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/parameter-group/how-to/attach-a-parameter-group-to-a-database/).
To have the new DBaaS instance replace the original, delete the original once the new one is ready.
Deleting it also deletes all of its snapshots, including the one you restored from; see
[Delete a DBaaS instance](/myaccount/database/how-to/delete-a-database/).

## Delete a snapshot

Deleting a snapshot is permanent, so make sure you are done with it.

1. In the snapshot's row menu, click **Delete**.
2. In **Delete Database Snapshot**, click **Delete**.

The snapshot's charge stops.

You now have snapshots to launch new DBaaS instances from. To take them on a schedule instead of by
hand, see [Schedule automatic snapshots](/myaccount/database/how-to/schedule-automatic-snapshots/).