Thread:Project:Support desk/mediawiki database backup/reply (3)

When you have big databases, you should use a system, which is capable of working with them.

When phpMyAdmin can no longer deal with that, you have two options: Adjust the PHP settings, so that it can again. That means: Set the maximum execution time and maybe the memory limit to something more suitable. Or use tools, which are really made for big databases, which are mysqldump and mysql on the shell. No PHP involved, no interface, just a oneliner as command and it will just work. As simple as that. I always prefer the oneliner.

mysqldump -u my-mysql-user -h my-mysql-host -pmy-password > backup-25.12.2013.sql

Run a command like this one as a cronjob and you are fine.