The Download data from a database tool in the Control Panel allows you to effectively make local back-ups of your web databases. Although HostedDatabase.com makes regular system back-ups, restoring a specific customer database requires a formal support request and may take up to 24 hours. On the other hand, if you make your own database back-ups, you are able to restore your own database yourself.

Clicking on the Download data from a database tool in the Manage Databases section of the Control Panel, you see two option buttons Text and XML representing the two supported download file types. Click on the desired file type, where Text (CSV) is the default. You also see a pull-down list containing the names of all databases defined for your account. Select the database to download data from the list, and click the Continue button.

You'll see another page advising you to use the Right mouse button on the Download File button to open up your PC's "Save Target As ..." dialog box where you can select the folder and filename to receive the downloaded data. Once you have a local back-up copy of your database, you can use two Control Panel tools: Create a new database and upload data or Upload data to an existing database to upload the data when necessary.