Ad-hoc backup
Trigger a backup on demand from the dashboard without waiting for the scheduled run.
When to use an ad-hoc backup
Use an ad-hoc backup before a schema migration, a bulk data operation, or any change that raises the cost of data loss. An ad-hoc backup runs immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled tick.
How to trigger an ad-hoc backup
- Go to the database detail page in the walwarden dashboard.
- Click Back up now in the top-right of the page.
- Confirm the dialog.
The backup job appears in the backup history table immediately with state queued. The dashboard updates the state in real time as the worker processes the job.
Ad-hoc vs scheduled
Ad-hoc backups go through the same worker pipeline as scheduled backups: pg_dump, checksum, S3 upload, manifest write, manifest verification, audit chain. The resulting artifact is identical in structure to a scheduled backup and can be restored using the same restore flow.
Ad-hoc backups do not affect the schedule. If a scheduled backup is due in 30 minutes, it will still run.
Availability
Ad-hoc backups are available when:
- The destination passes preflight.
- No other backup job for the same database is in a non-terminal state (
queued,claimed, orrunning). One backup per database at a time is enforced.
If a backup is already in progress, the Back up now button is disabled until the current job completes or fails.