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Backup Tool
Use Open Dental's built-in tool to back up or restore data.
In the Manage Module, click Backup.
The Backup Tool is split up into three tabs:
Also see:
This tool can back up the following data:
This tool does not encrypt data, so consider an encrypted device or encryption software to ensure data is protected while in storage. See Encryption of Data at Rest and in Transit. To use the backup tool, users must have the security permission Backup.
Exclude image folder from backup or restore: By default, the A to Z Folder is included in the backup or restore. To omit the A to Z folders from the backup or restore, check this box.
Save Defaults: Click to save the entered paths as the defaults.
Managed Backups: Unison BDR (Central Data Storage) is a preferred online backup service. Click the button to see more information. To remove this button, disable the Central Data Storage CDS Bridge, then check Hide Unused Button.
Backups should be run from the server that hosts the MySQL database. Running the tool from a workstation will likely result in an error or incorrect data being copied.
To back up data, first connect to the server, then insert the backup device (e.g., USB encrypted flash drive).
If the tool fails, try again by running Open Dental as an Administrator.
Backup database FROM this folder: Verify the database path to back up. It should contain the currently connected database. Typically it is C:\mysql\data\. Click Browse to select a different path. Only the connected database is backed up. Other databases in the path are ignored.
Backup TO this folder: Verify the drive or folder to back up the data to. For example, D:\. Do not back up to the same folder where the live database is located. We recommend utilizing a network path to another workstation or server in the office. Click Browse to select a different drive.
Click Backup. A progress bar is displayed while the backup completes. If any files being backed up have a file name exceeding 100 characters, there is a warning indicating these files will be skipped. The progress window is closed once the backup is complete.
If the image folder is also being backed up, this process begins automatically once the database backup is complete. A new progress bar is displayed for the image folder backup. A message is shown once all backups are complete.
Backups should be tested regularly to ensure they restore correctly. It is recommended to test backups by restoring them to a workstation not connected to the office network. The name of the database being restored must match the name of the database being used to run the restore tool.
Restore FROM this folder: Enter the path the backup is currently stored. For example, if the backup is on an external drive, it might be D:\. Click Browse to select a different path.
Restore database TO this folder: Enter the path to place the backup. Typically it is C:\mysql\data\. Click Browse to select a different path.
Restore A-Z images to this folder: If the A to Z folder was backed up, enter the path where it should be restored. Click Browse to select a different path.
Restore: Click to restore the database. See below for detailed instructions.
Before beginning a restore:
If Open Dental is not installed on the restore computer, first do the following:
If there is trouble opening the program after restoring, the setup.exe file stored in the A to Z Folder backup may need to be run. If the installed version is newer than the backup version, Open Dental must be uninstalled from the Control Panel before running setup.exe.
To restore a database: