But I didn’t like having to set 777 permissions for the backups directory just so the plugin could work. Here’s the magic bullet to make it happen: 0 1 * * * /usr/bin/mysqldump -e -user=username -password=password dbname | gzip | uuencode dbname.gz | mail -s 'dbname backup' this technique, I was using a database-backup plugin. With many sites this can be a huge time-saver. Taking care of database backups via cron makes it all effortless and automatic, which saves time because I don’t have to install, configure, and maintain a plugin to ensure current, working backups - they’re sent every night via email and work great. This took a lot of trial and error, but it works great and is easy to implement. The tutorial remains for reference purposes only. Email is just not a secure mode of transport for sensitive data. Update: Although the following method works as described, I am no longer using it for my own sites. After setting up the cron job, backups of your database are sent to you via email. Here’s a simple, effective, and practical way to keep regular backups of your database using cron.

Fbackup edit crontab