---
title: "Schedule automatic snapshots"
description: "Set a recurring snapshot schedule and a lifecycle rule for a MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL DBaaS instance."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "database"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/database/how-to/schedule-automatic-snapshots/"
topic: ["backup-and-recovery"]
---

# Schedule automatic snapshots

Schedule snapshots so that a DBaaS instance is backed up daily, weekly, or monthly on its own. Add a
lifecycle rule to delete old scheduled snapshots for you. You pay for the storage every snapshot
uses, so a lifecycle rule also keeps your cost down.

## Before you begin

The DBaaS instance must read **Running**, so its **Snapshots** tab shows.

## Schedule snapshots

On the DBaaS instance's **Snapshots** tab, click **Schedule**. In **Configure Snapshots**:

1. Choose the **Create Snapshot Interval**: Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
2. For Weekly, choose a day in **Select Day of Week**. For Monthly, choose a date from 1 to 31 in
   **Select Date of Month**, or **Last Day**. To take a snapshot every month, choose **Last Day**; a
   date of 29, 30, or 31 runs in the months that have it.
3. Choose **Take Snapshot At**: 12 AM to 1 AM, 8 AM to 9 AM, or 6 PM to 7 PM, all in India Standard
   Time (IST). For a Weekly or Monthly schedule where the exact day matters, choose the 8 AM or 6 PM
   window.
4. (Optional) To delete old scheduled snapshots for you, choose how long to keep them in
   **Delete Snapshot After**.
5. Click **Submit**.

Your schedule appears on the **Snapshots** tab. Click its **Edit** link to change it, or **Disable**
to stop it. If a scheduled snapshot fails, DBaaS tries again up to five times and emails you if the
last try also fails.

## Set a lifecycle rule on its own

On the **Snapshots** tab, click **Schedule lifecycle**. In **Configure Snapshot Lifecycle**, choose
the **Delete Snapshot Interval**: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days, 1 month, 3 month, 6 month, or 1
year. Click **Save**.

A lifecycle rule deletes scheduled snapshots; snapshots you take yourself stay until you delete
them. To change or stop the rule, use its **Edit** or **Disable** link.

The DBaaS instance now takes snapshots on its schedule. To bring one back as a new DBaaS instance,
see
[Back up and restore a DBaaS instance with snapshots](/myaccount/database/how-to/create-and-restore-a-snapshot/).