We perform backups of VF.com data using some tools that we wrote, but they're command line jobs designed to be run from a cron. We're working on an exporter that will do some of what you're asking, but I doubt that you will be able to use it to automate backups. As @S said, this is something that your host should be taking care of.
I use Wordpress too, and there exists the possibility to make automatical or manual db backups, directly from the dashboard of the CMS system. I find it useful, eg also for the case one would like to update vanilla, and has to make a db backup. He has normally to log-in to cpanel or mysq1 or something similar. Some people are not the best specialists in that area, and a db backup run directly from vanilla dashboard would be a pleasant help for some admins, i think. The same about updates of Vanilla: an automatized update would be great (similar with some CMS software capabilities...).
For anyone who still needs this kind of feature, an open source PHP script called MySQLDumper can schedule automatic database backups per your defined schedule and e-mail respective backups to a specific e-mail address or store them to a location on your server. This is a great solution for those on hosts which don't offer MySQL backups or the ability to rsync.
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This should be covered in the vanilla porter (exporting the vanilla install).
I find it useful, eg also for the case one would like to update vanilla, and has to make a db backup. He has normally to log-in to cpanel or mysq1 or something similar. Some people are not the best specialists in that area, and a db backup run directly from vanilla dashboard would be a pleasant help for some admins, i think.
The same about updates of Vanilla: an automatized update would be great (similar with some CMS software capabilities...).