diff --git a/debian/config b/debian/config
index ca91e649..d611ce17 100644
--- a/debian/config
+++ b/debian/config
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ ALTERNC_LOC=/var/alternc
 NS1_HOSTNAME="$FQDN"
 NS2_HOSTNAME="$FQDN"
 HOSTING="AlternC"
+SQLBACKUP_TYPE="rotate"
+SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE="no"
 
 if [ -r /etc/alternc/local.sh ]; then
     # source the current config
@@ -134,6 +136,18 @@ if [ -z "$RET" ]
 db_set alternc/mysql/client "$MYSQL_CLIENT"
 fi
 
+db_get alternc/sql/backup_type
+if [ -z "$RET" ]
+    then
+db_set alternc/sql/backup_type "$SQLBACKUP_TYPE"
+fi
+
+db_get alternc/sql/backup_overwrite
+if [ -z "$RET" ]
+    then
+db_set alternc/sql/backup_overwrite "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
+fi
+
 db_get alternc/alternc_location
 if [ -z "$RET" ]
     then
diff --git a/debian/postinst b/debian/postinst
index 1debb93d..c836e517 100644
--- a/debian/postinst
+++ b/debian/postinst
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ ALTERNC_LOC=""
 
 # Networks that SMTP should relay, separated with spaces
 SMTP_RELAY_NETWORKS=""
+
+# the type of backup created by the sql backup script
+# valid options are "rotate" (newsyslog-style) or "date" (suffix is the date)
+SQLBACKUP_TYPE=""
+
+# overwrite existing files when backing up
+SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE=""
 EOF
 
         chown root:www-data $CONFIGFILE
@@ -117,6 +124,8 @@ EOF
     update_var alternc/bind_internal BIND_INTERNAL
     update_var alternc/default_mx DEFAULT_MX 
     update_var alternc/mysql/client MYSQL_CLIENT 
+    update_var alternc/sql/backup_type SQLBACKUP_TYPE
+    update_var alternc/sql/backup_overwrite SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE
     update_var alternc/alternc_location ALTERNC_LOC
     update_var alternc/mynetwork SMTP_RELAY_NETWORKS
     sed -e "$SED_SCRIPT" < $CONFIGFILE > $CONFIGFILE.tmp
diff --git a/src/sqlbackup.sh b/src/sqlbackup.sh
index 12d76a01..47420027 100755
--- a/src/sqlbackup.sh
+++ b/src/sqlbackup.sh
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ function dobck() {
             ext=""
         fi
 
-        # if $TYPE_NAME_BACKUP is set to "rotate" classical rotation files methode will be used
+        # if $SQLBACKUP_TYPE is set to "rotate" classical rotation files methode will be used
         # use incrementale number in the name of files where the highest number indicate
         # the oldest files
         # if the rotate type is not set or set to date, the name of the export file will contain the date
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ function dobck() {
         # rotate files which just change name
         #
         # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
-        # the variable TYPE_NAME_BACKUP must be set in /etc/alternc/local.sh #
+        # the variable SQLBACKUP_TYPE must be set in /etc/alternc/local.sh #
         # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
-        if [ $TYPE_NAME_BACKUP == "rotate" ]; then 
+        if [ $SQLBACKUP_TYPE == "rotate" ]; then 
             
             i="$count"
             
@@ -199,26 +199,26 @@ function dobck() {
             
        fi
       
-       # if the backup exite and ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP is set to NO, cancel backup
-       if [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"  == "no" ] ; then
+       # if the backup exite and SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE is set to NO, cancel backup
+       if [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"  == "no" ] ; then
            
            info "sqlbackup.sh: ${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}: already exist"
-           info "              => no backup done as specify in allow-overwrite = $ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"
+           info "              => no backup done as specify in allow-overwrite = $SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
            DO_BACKUP="NO"
 
-        # if the backup exite and ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP is set to RENAME, add  
-        elif [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"  == "rename" ] ; then
+        # if the backup exite and SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE is set to RENAME, add  
+        elif [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"  == "rename" ] ; then
 
            info "sqlbackup.sh: ${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}: already exist"
-           info "              => renaming the new file as specify in allow-overwrite = $ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"
+           info "              => renaming the new file as specify in allow-overwrite = $SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
            hours=`date +"%H%M"` 
            name_backup_file="${name_backup_file}.${hours}"
 
-        # if the backup exite and ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP is set OVERWRITE, add  
-        elif [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"  == "overwrite" ] ; then
+        # if the backup exite and SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE is set OVERWRITE, add  
+        elif [ -f "${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}" ] && [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"  == "overwrite" ] ; then
 
            info "sqlbackup.sh: ${target_dir}/${name_backup_file}.sql${ext}: already exist"
-           info "              => overwrite file as specify in allow-overwrite = $ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"
+           info "              => overwrite file as specify in allow-overwrite = $SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
            
        fi
 
@@ -291,8 +291,8 @@ read_parameters() {
             -v|--verbose) VERBOSE="ON" ;;
             -d|--debug) DEBUG="ON" ;;
             -t|--type) shift; TYPE="$1";;
-            -n|--name-methode) shift; TYPE_NAME_BACKUP="$1";;
-            -a|--allow-ovewrite) shift; ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP="$1" ;;
+            -n|--name-methode) shift; SQLBACKUP_TYPE="$1";;
+            -a|--allow-ovewrite) shift; SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE="$1" ;;
             *)
                 error "invalide option -- $1" 
                 error "Try \`sqlbackup.sh --help' for more information."
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ read_parameters() {
     done
 
     debug "TYPE = $TYPE"
-    debug "TYPE_NAME_BACKUP = $TYPE_NAME_BACKUP"
-    debug "ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP = $ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"
+    debug "SQLBACKUP_TYPE = $SQLBACKUP_TYPE"
+    debug "SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE = $SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
    
 
     # check options 
@@ -328,19 +328,19 @@ read_parameters() {
         exit
     fi
 
-    if ! ( [ -z "$TYPE_NAME_BACKUP" ] || 
-           [ "$TYPE_NAME_BACKUP" == "date" ] || 
-           [ "$TYPE_NAME_BACKUP" == "rotate" ] ) ; then
-        error "invalide argument: name-methode -- $TYPE_NAME_BACKUP"
+    if ! ( [ -z "$SQLBACKUP_TYPE" ] || 
+           [ "$SQLBACKUP_TYPE" == "date" ] || 
+           [ "$SQLBACKUP_TYPE" == "rotate" ] ) ; then
+        error "invalide argument: name-methode -- $SQLBACKUP_TYPE"
         error "Try \`sqlbackup.sh --help' for more information."
         exit
      fi
 
-    if ! ( [ -z  "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP" ] || 
-           [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP" == "no" ] || 
-           [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP" == "rename" ] || 
-           [ "$ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP" == "overwrite" ] ); then
-        error "invalide argument: allow-ovewrite -- $ALLOW_OVERWRITE_BACKUP"
+    if ! ( [ -z  "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE" ] || 
+           [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE" == "no" ] || 
+           [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE" == "rename" ] || 
+           [ "$SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE" == "overwrite" ] ); then
+        error "invalide argument: allow-ovewrite -- $SQLBACKUP_OVERWRITE"
         error "Try \`sqlbackup.sh --help' for more information."
         exit
      fi