---
title: "Azure CLI: Backup a database in Azure SQL Database"  
description: Azure CLI example script to backup an Azure SQL single database to an Azure storage container
services: sql-database
ms.service: sql-database
ms.subservice: backup-restore
ms.custom: devx-track-azurecli
ms.devlang: azurecli
ms.topic: sample
author: SQLSourabh
ms.author: sourabha
ms.reviewer: mathoma
ms.date: 12/06/2021
---
# Use CLI to backup an Azure SQL single database to an Azure storage container

This Azure CLI example backs up a database in SQL Database to an Azure storage container.  

If you choose to install and use the CLI locally, this article requires that you are running the Azure CLI version 2.0 or later. Run `az --version` to find the version. If you need to install or upgrade, see [Install the Azure CLI]( /cli/azure/install-azure-cli).

## Sample script

### Sign in to Azure

Cloud Shell is automatically authenticated under the initial account signed-in with. Use the following script to sign in using a different subscription. Sign in to Azure using the appropriate subscription. [!INCLUDE [quickstarts-free-trial-note](../../../../includes/quickstarts-free-trial-note.md)]

```azurecli-interactive
subscription="<subscriptionId>" # add subscription here

az account set -s $subscription # ...or use 'az login'
```

For more information, see [set active subscription](/cli/azure/account#az_account_set) or [log in interactively](/cli/azure/reference-index#az_login)

### Run the script

:::code language="azurecli" source="~/azure_cli_scripts/sql-database/backup-database/backup-database.sh" range="4-40":::

### Clean up deployment

Use the following command to remove the resource group and all resources associated with it.

```azurecli
az group delete --name $resource
```

## Sample reference

This script uses the following commands. Each command in the table links to command specific documentation.

| Command | Notes |
|---|---|
| [az sql server](/cli/azure/sql/server) | Server commands. |
| [az sql db](/cli/azure/sql/db) | Database commands. |

## Next steps

For more information on the Azure CLI, see [Azure CLI documentation](/cli/azure).

Additional SQL Database CLI script samples can be found in the [Azure SQL Database documentation](../az-cli-script-samples-content-guide.md).