|
How to Backup SQL Server / MSDE databases
Uranium can backup an unlimited number of Microsoft
SQL Server databases, and can also execute stored procedures or queries, with
these great benefits:
No service interruption:
database backup is performed even 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 components (Enterprise Manager/Management
Studio). It can perform the backup from any computer in the network.
Integrated zip compression:
automatic zip compression of the backup files. For SQL Server 2008 it is also available the native "on-the-fly"
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 always have
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 "run as service".
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 list of the items, using the proper menu voice shown in the image below:
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 3 simple operations:
- 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.
The first entry in the list allows us to include as an item the backup of all databases
and, in this case, we will have further opportunity to set up a filter to exclude
one or more databases from the backup:
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 allows to complete
the backup even if non-critical errors occur. This option is available only for
SQL Server 2005/2008, therefore it is not recommended.
- 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 reacable
across the network.
- Use native compression of the backup file (2008 only)
Checking this option, the backup files will be created on disk already compressed,
because it will be used the native "on-the-fly" compression available for SQL Server
2008.
- Compress (zip) backup file: once backup is complete, program will
compress the created file in zip format. The temporary file is deleted. In the 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 (whole-file encryption), 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 common destinations of the Backup Set. These can include: network
destinations, FTP destinations, DVD writing, tape backup, etc..
Other than the database backup, this program feature allows to execute other two
types of operations, that are 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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For any question or technical information about this tutorial you can post a message
in the
support
forum.
FREESOFT SRL AND/OR ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPLIERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED AS PART OF THE SERVICES FOR ANY PURPOSE. ALL SUCH DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. FREESOFT SRL AND/OR ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPLIERS HEREBY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS WITH REGARD TO THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL FREESOFT SRL OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF FREESOFT SRL OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED ON THE SERVICES COULD INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. CHANGES ARE PERIODICALLY ADDED TO THE INFORMATION HEREIN. FREESOFT SRL MAY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND/OR CHANGES IN THE PRODUCT(S) AND/OR THE PROGRAM(S) DESCRIBED HEREIN AT ANY TIME.
SQL Server 2008 backup software: SQL Server compressed backup; database backup, restore database, sql
server 2005 express edition backup, msde backup. Software for backup sql, make backup
of database - microsoft sql server backup software.
Automating database maintenance in SQL 2005 Express Edition: how to automate the
backup of a SQL Server Express
|