If you have a CMS such as a blog or a forum, you are probably using a mySQL Database. CMS Stands for Content Management Software and a wordpress blog such as this one happens to be a CMS. If you are using a YaBB forum software then you probably don’t have a SQL Database since it relies most of its content to go to and be managed by its directories.

A database backup can be taken via the CMS if it allows it or through php my admin which is a feature in cPanel. Doing it via cpanel is probably the easiest and safest way. That will make sure you are getting all the tables and data. Any other method may skip some tables and when you go to restore, you are either missing a whole bunch of information or your site isn’t working at all. If you are taking a mysql backup make sure you have a directory backup of it as well. To learn about directory backups, check out the previous post in the webmaster category of this blog. Both are necessary about 90% of the time unless of course, you have a regular html site or a cms that relies on just its directory.

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