Azure Database for MySQL flexible server: How does manual backup limit really works and can we customize the automated backups time?

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm working with a non-profit organization using WordPress for a large website (over 6000 posts).

I understand that the Azure backups work as follows:

• The database server backup occurs once a day.
  • You can take up to 50 manual backups of a MySql Server
• The App Service backup occurs once every hour.
  • You can setup custom backups of App Service which are stored in Blob storage, requiring that you have a storage account.

Now, using WordPress, the backup of the database must be in sync with the App service's. Indeed, when a plugin is updated or Core WordPress is changed, the files and the database are changed. To avoid any issues, I think it is best to avoid unsync between the two. So I'm wondering two things to define the best backup and restore strategy using Azure:

• Question 1: How does manual backup limit really works: what happens when I reach the limit of 50? Is it 50 for a given server? Or is it 50 for an Azure subscription?
• Question 2: Is there any way to customize the automatic database server backup time? How is it determined by default?

I'm aware of the slot feature which would give me the opportunity to stage the updates before pushing them to production. I'd like to use that feature, but, as far as I see, the slot targets the App Service, not the database. But maybe I'm missing something, so feel free to share :) Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi
Jeremie Litzler •,

Thanks for your patience.

Please find the below response from the internal team:

Question 1: How does manual backup limit really works: what happens when I reach the limit of 50? Is it 50 for a given server? Or is it 50 for an Azure subscription?

50 is the on-demand backup limit per server. You will not be able to trigger on-demand backup once limit of 50 is reached. Additionally, these on-demand backup’s are stored it in alignment with server’s backup retention policy and will be automatically deleted as soon as they fall off the server retention period window.

Question 2: Is there any way to customize the automatic database server backup time? How is it determined by default?

The first automated snapshot backup is scheduled immediately after a server is created. Automated snapshot backups are taken daily once. Transaction log backups occur every five minutes. Backup windows are inherently managed by Azure and cannot be customized.

Hope this helps.

Thanks