How to Backup SQL Server / MSDE databases

Uranium can backup an unlimited number of Microsoft SQL Server Databases, and can execute also stored procedures or query operations, with these great benefits: 


No service interruption: database backup is performed also if the database server is running. The program does not affect server or client performances, because it requires minimal resources.


Totally independent / No pre-requisites: it does not require that are installed SQL Server client component (Enterprise Manager - Management Studio). It can perform backup from any computer in the network.


Integrated zip compression: automatic zip compression of the backup files.


Fully compatible: Uranium creates backup files in fully standard compliant format, and so you can restore these files also with Microsoft tools, like Enterprise Manager / Management Studio. No proprietary formats and the certainty to have always compatible backups.


All versions: compatible with all versions of MS SQL Server database: 7.0, SQL Server 2000, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, Express Edition, MSDE.


AES 256 bit encryption: strong encryption of the zipped backup files.


Any destination: automatic copy and/or synchronization of the backup files to multiple destinations, like TAPE, DVD, LAN, FTP, etc....


Scheduled and automatic backups: scheduled backup execution depending on days, hours, minutes. Integrated scheduler and Windows scheduled tasks.



This backup type is available starting from the Pro SQL version.


The creation of a SQL Server backup is very easy, because you must simply add a special item in the items list, using the proper menu voice shown in the below image:




Once you have clicked on the selected menu voice, Uranium will show the following configuration window:

 


Now let's see how to configure all the options.

First of all you will have to set up the connection parameters for SQL Server: in order to do this you must execute in sequence the operations indicated by the numbers in the image.

• In the upper drop-down list you will be able to select the SQL Server instance name, if this is present in your network. If instead it is a remote server, you’ll have to insert its IP address manually.
• Authentication method: you can decide if use the Windows integrated authentication (for example if this is your sql server configuration and the database server is in your same domain) or the SQL Server specific authentication specifying an user name and a password. If you use the integrated authentication you will have to select the option “Trusted Connection” down below.
• Finally you have to select or to type manually the name of the database you want to backup. You can make it in a very simple way in the specific drop-down list.

Once the database server connection has been configured (you can verify it using the button “Test connection”), you have the possibility to specify in the right box other important parameters for the backup. In any case it should be said that all these parameters are optional, as also not specifying them the backup will be executed without problems.

• Backup file path on the server: here you can insert the path where you want to save the database backup file on the computer where sql server is running (N.B.: not on the computer where you are configuring Uranium, if this one is different from that one on which the database server is installed). The software gives the possibility to select this path through an appropriate button, on condition that the C$ administrative share is enabled on the network server. To the contrary you will be able to type the path manually (you must be however sure that the path exists, otherwise the backup will generate an error) or to leave this text field empty (the sql server default backup path will be used, usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server \ MSSQL \ Backup).
• Backup file name: in this text field you can type the name of the backup file. If you leave it empty the backup file will have the same name of the database.
• TimeStamp to add to file name: with this option a timestamp can be added to the name of the backup file, with days, hours, minutes, second, months, years (yyyy = 4 digit years; yy = 2 digit years; dd = day number in the month; dddd = weekday name; hh = hours; nn = minutes; mm = month number; mmmm = month name; ss = seconds; ww = number of the week in the year; w = weekday number). If for example you want to make a new backup for every day of the week, you could set up “dddd”. In this way 7 backup files will be maintained, and they could have the following names: Database-Monday, database-Tuesday, etc….
• Shrink database: with this option you can decide to make a database compression before or after the backup. This option can be useful in order to reduce the database size, if for example many data modifications or deletions have been carried out recently.
• Continue backup in case of errors: this option permits to complete the backup also if non-critical errors occurs. This option is available only for SQL Server 2005/2008, therefore if it is used on older versions of the database the software will generate an error and will not be able to complete backup.
• Verify the existence of the backup file after backup: selecting this option the software will carry out an additional check in order to verify that the database backup file has been effectively created (the option is usable only if the database server (and the backup destination folder) is local or however accessible in network.
• Compress (zip) backup file: once backup is complete, program will compress the created file in zip format. The temporary file is deleted. In backup set options it is possible to set various options regarding zip compression.
• Encrypt zip file: if is set the previous compression option, it is possible to decide if encrypt the zip file, to make it totally inaccessible to unauthorized users. For this encryption it's used the key that can be set in the program's general options. The encrypted zip file can be decrypted only through the proper Uranium decryption utility.
• Copy backup file to common destinations after backup: selecting this option, after the database backup completion Uranium will proceed to copy the database backup file in all backup set common destinations. These can include: network destinations, ftp destinations, burning, tape backup, etc..

Other than the database backup this program feature allows to carry out other two types of operations, that is the execution of a particular Stored Procedure or of any SQL command contained in a text file.

Down you have finally two important options for timeout management: the first allows to set up the local command execution timeout. By default the software uses an infinite timeout (0 = no timeout), however, if you think of having to set up a minor one, remember that if backup or other operations on the database had to require a greater time than this timeout, the software would generate an error and it would not complete the backup.

The remote timeout allows to modify the database server remote timeout setting. Use this option only if you have timeout problems.

It is finally important to remember that the "query timeout" is a parameter that can be set directly in the database server management. This parameter is usually set up to 600 seconds (10 minutes) and could influence on the backup execution.

Once you have configured all the options, simply click the button “Apply” in order to memorize them, or button “OK”, which will close also this configuration window.

In the items list you will have the item just created, as you can see in the image below:

In the item you have the server address, the database name and the operation type (1 - > backup; 2 - > stored procedure execution; 3 - > query execution from file). The operation type will be also inserted like child item, immediately below.

You can modify this item anytime selecting it with the mouse right button and clicking the appropriate menu voice. You will not be able however to modify the server address and the database name.

You can create an unlimited number of SQL Server items, for example one for each database and for a different operation type.

This kind of backup produce a single backup file relative to the selected database. This backup file is created in SQL Server standard format, and therefore as if it was created directly with the database native management tools (ex: Enterpise Manager, Management Studio). For this reason the backup files created by Uranium can be restored without any problem with standard Microsoft tools.


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For any question or technical information about this tutorial you can post a message in the support forum.

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