The DB Maintenance module automates database backups for you. However, there are still times when you might want to or need to back up your database manually, such as before a site upgrade.
Before you back up your database, you should optimize the tables in the database.
PHPMyAdmin has an export utility that can be used to back up your database. As shown in the following screenshot, you can access it by clicking the Export tab.
The Export screen, shown in the following screenshot, contains three sections:
Export—in this section, you generally won't need to change the defaults. Select all of the tables in your database, and export them as an SQL file.
SQL Options—in this section, leave the default values (as shown in the preceding screenshot) unchanged.
Save as file—in this section, give the file a descriptive name. I recommend a name that combines the name of the database with the date of the backup. This naming convention...