# SQL Backup

> Perform an incremental backup for an eXtremeDB database.

> ### For an overview see page Incremental_Backup

> The statement has the following form:

>         BACKUP [TO] file_name [FULL | INCREMENTAL | AUTO] [[AS] label]

> ### Description

> This function performs an incremental backup inserting an optional `label`. Note that a FULL backup (snapshot) must be done at least once before an INCREMENTAL backup can be done successfully. If backup type AUTO is specified a FULL or INCREMENTAL record will be created depending on the content of the backup file: If there is no snapshot in the file yet the backup process will create one; otherwise a partial backup record is created.

> ### Example

>         Perform a full (snapshot) backup:

>         BACKUP 'SimpleDb_backup' FULL 'Initial full backup'

>         Perform an incremental (partial) backup:

>         BACKUP 'SimpleDb_backup' INCREMENTAL 'Backup July 15, 2016'

>         Perform an automatic backup:

>         BACKUP 'SimpleDb_backup' AUTO 'Automatic backup'

> Note that if one of these statements is executed by a remote client, the backup file name refers to the server's file system.