How to backup PostgreSQL to Dropbox

PostgreSQL database backup stored in your Dropbox account.

Let's see how we can easily schedule PostgreSQL backups and store them on Dropbox.

Dropbox lets anyone upload and transfer files to the cloud, and share them with anyone. Back up photos, videos, docs, and other files to cloud storage, and access files synced with any of your computers or mobile devices—from anywhere.

Prerequisites

• Create a SimpleBackups account
• Make sure you have your server connected to your account (the one on which your PostgreSQL database is hosted)
• Have a Dropbox account

1. Connect your Dropbox Account to SimpleBackups

• Log into SimpleBackups and head to the Connect a Storage page
• In the storage provider list select "Dropbox", and click on the Connect Dropbox button.

You'll then be redirected to a Dropbox page asking you to grant access to your storage and create a folder named Apps > SimpleBackus.io. Sign in and hit Allow.

And your storage is now connected!

2. Final step: Create your PostgreSQL backup

Last step is obviously to schedule your backup.

From this screen you'll be able to configure what data you're backing up (PostgreSQL in this case), where you want it to be saved (in this case your Dropbox storage), and how often you want this to be done.

FYI this section will be the same, no matter what storage you pick.
And that's the beauty of it, if you want to change storage, just select another one from the list (Backblaze, AWS, or whatever you might prefer) and you'll be good to go.

What would you like to back up? (A)

• Select "Database" (in this article we're creating a PostgreSQL backup only)
• Select the server on which your database is hosted

How often should we make this backup? (B)

• Select your schedule option (here we picked a daily schedule)

  You can select a pre-defined schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) or a custom option allowing you to schedule it whenever you want to use CRON syntax.

• Example of CRON schedule for "20:00 every Tuesday" = 0 22 * * 2

  Finally, the "On demand" option won't schedule anything but will allow you to trigger the backup manually or using our API.

• Define the backup retention, which is the number of backups you want to keep (kind of the history length of your backup if you prefer)

Choose the database you need to back up (C)

• Select the type of your database, in this case "PostgreSQL"
• Fill in the database connection form

Finalize and create

• Pick the name of your backup (this is how it will be displayed in SimpleBackups interface) and where you want to store it.
• Select your Storage (step 3)

That's it, your PostgreSQL backup is now ready and connected to your Dropbox account.

Setting up backups with SimpleBackups and storing them on Dropbox is one of our most rapid and easiest setups.

Run it once manually (using the "Run" backup button from the backups list), and you'll trigger your first backup!