Backups

A backup is a scheduled export of a service volume into secure object storage. Backups let you recover data after an accidental delete, an application bug or a bad update.

Backups work for services with an attached volume and for managed databases.

How it works#

You define what to copy (a volume), how often (a schedule) and how many copies to keep.
At the scheduled time the platform creates the copy and uploads it to object storage.
When there are more copies than the retention limit, the oldest ones are deleted automatically.
Copies live separately from the service — they survive even service deletion.

Create a schedule#

1
Open the Backups tab
Open the service → Backups. The list shows every configured schedule: what is copied, how often, when the last copy ran and whether the schedule is enabled.
2
Fill in the form
Click Add backup and set the volume, retention and frequency (see the fields below), then click Create. The schedule becomes active immediately.
3
Verify the first copy
Don't wait for the night — press Run now. You'll see an "export started" notification, and shortly after the schedule's last-run time and status update.

Form fields

Field	Description
Data volume	The volume whose contents are copied. If the list is empty, attach a volume first. For managed databases their data volume is copied.
Copies to keep	How many recent copies stay in storage. Default is 30 — with daily copies that's a month of history.
Frequency	Daily at 00:00, every 12 hours, every 6 hours, weekly (Sun 00:00), monthly (1st, 00:00) or a custom cron expression.

A custom schedule uses the five-field cron format: minute hour day month weekday.

text

0 3 * * *     # every day at 03:00
30 2 * * 1    # every Monday at 02:30
0 */4 * * *   # every 4 hours

Managing schedules#

Field	Description
Toggle	Pause or resume a schedule. Pausing does not delete stored copies.
Run now	Take a copy outside the schedule — useful before a big update or a risky data change.
Edit	Change the frequency and retention count.
Delete	Remove the schedule. Copies already stored stay in object storage.

Restoring data#

A restore overwrites the current contents of the volume with the selected copy.

1
Stop the service
So the application does not write data while the restore is running.
2
Pick a copy by date
Use the restore section on the Backups tab. If the copy you need is not listed, contact support with the service name, volume and date.
3
Start the service and verify
Bring the service back up and check the data.

Recommendations#

Match frequency to data value. A shop — every 6 hours, a blog — daily, rarely changing files — weekly.
Copy before an update. Press Run now before a migration or a major release.
Test your copies. Restore one onto a test service every quarter: a copy you never restored is a hypothesis, not a backup.
Use a night window. Copying puts load on the disk, so schedule it during quiet hours.

Pair backups with rollbacks

Rolling back code does not roll back data. See Rollbacks for how the two work together.

FAQ#

Does copying affect the running service?

The service keeps running. Disk load may increase briefly, which is why nights are convenient.

What happens to copies if I delete the service?

Exported copies stay in object storage; the schedule is deleted with the service.

Why is the volume list empty?

No volume is attached to the service. Add one on the Settings tab.

Are environment variables and settings backed up?

No. A copy contains volume data only. Keep service configuration in your repository or export it separately.