Databases

The databases list defines which databases to back up. You can add as many entries as you need — each one is backed up independently.

Fields

databases:
  - name: myapp_prod        # (required) Logical name used in filenames and notifications
    type: postgres           # (required) mysql | postgres
    host: 127.0.0.1          # Default: 127.0.0.1
    port: 5432               # Default: 3306 for MySQL, 5432 for PostgreSQL
    user: backup_user        # (required) Database user
    password: ""             # Plain text password — not recommended
    password_env: DB_PASS    # Read password from this env var (recommended)
    database: myapp          # (required) The database to dump
    extra_opts: ""           # Extra flags passed verbatim to mysqldump / pg_dump
    enabled: true            # Set to false to skip without removing the entry

Avoid storing passwords as plain text in the config file. Use password_env instead and set the variable in /etc/environment or your systemd service override.

Password via environment variable

# /etc/environment  (loaded system-wide on boot)
DB_PASS=yourpassword
PG_BACKUP_PASS=anotherpassword

databases:
  - name: myapp_prod
    type: postgres
    password_env: DB_PASS      # reads $DB_PASS at runtime

  - name: analytics
    type: postgres
    password_env: PG_BACKUP_PASS

MySQL example

databases:
  - name: wordpress_prod
    type: mysql
    host: 127.0.0.1
    port: 3306
    user: backup_user
    password_env: MYSQL_BACKUP_PASS
    database: wordpress
    extra_opts: "--single-transaction --quick"
    enabled: true

OpsVault passes the MySQL password via a temporary ~/.my.cnf file (mode 0600) to avoid exposing it on the command line.

PostgreSQL example

databases:
  - name: analytics_pg
    type: postgres
    host: 10.0.0.5
    port: 5432
    user: backup_user
    password_env: PG_BACKUP_PASS
    database: analytics
    extra_opts: "--no-owner --no-acl"
    enabled: true

PostgreSQL password is passed via the PGPASSWORD environment variable injected into the pg_dump subprocess.

Multiple databases

databases:
  - name: app_db
    type: postgres
    host: 127.0.0.1
    user: pg_backup
    password_env: PG_PASS
    database: app_production
    enabled: true

  - name: legacy_mysql
    type: mysql
    host: 127.0.0.1
    user: backup
    password_env: MYSQL_PASS
    database: legacy_app
    enabled: true

  - name: staging_db
    type: postgres
    host: 127.0.0.1
    user: pg_backup
    password_env: PG_PASS
    database: app_staging
    enabled: false             # skipped — won't be backed up

Backup file naming

Each backup is saved as:

{name}_{YYYYMMDD}_{HHMMSS}.sql.gz

For example: app_db_20240115_020001.sql.gz

Extra options

The extra_opts field is passed verbatim to mysqldump or pg_dump. Common options:

Option	Effect
`--no-owner`	Don't output commands to set ownership
`--no-acl`	Don't output access privilege commands
`--schema=public`	Dump only the public schema
`--exclude-table=logs`	Skip a specific table

Option	Effect
`--single-transaction`	Consistent snapshot without locking (InnoDB)
`--quick`	Retrieve rows one at a time (large tables)
`--ignore-table=db.logs`	Skip a specific table
`--no-data`	Schema only, no rows