SQL Backup 5   

The CONVERT Command

See Also

Use the CONVERT command with the SQL Backup -SQL parameter to convert SQL Backup files (.sqb) to Microsoft Tape Format (MTF) files. You can use the native SQL Server RESTORE command to restore MTF files.

Alternatively, you can use the SQL Backup sqb2mtf command line utility, which is provided in the SQL Backup folder. You can distribute this application as required; you do not need to install SQL Backup in order to use it.

Note that if you convert a backup file that has been stored across a number of files (using FILECOUNT), an individual .bak file is created for each file. For example, if backup file BackUpA.sqb was split into three files, the following files are created when you convert the backup:

BackUpA_01.bak

BackUpA_02.bak

BackUpA_03.bak

You can then restore the MTF format backups as a group of backup files.

The CONVERT command

Syntax

CONVERT { 'physical_backup_device_name' } ] TO { 'physical_file_name' }
[ WITH
    [ [ , ] MAXDATABLOCK = { 65536 | 131072 | ... | 4194304 ]
    [ [ , ] PASSWORD = { 'password' } ]
]

Arguments

MAXDATABLOCK

Specifies the maximum size of data blocks to be used when SQL Backup writes data to network shares. Valid values are integers in multiples of 65536, up to a maximum value of 4194304. For example:

MAXDATABLOCK = 655360

PASSWORD

Specifies the password to be used with encrypted backup files.

Example

SQLBackupC -SQL "CONVERT 'C:\Backups\pubs.sqb' TO 'C:\Backups\pubs.bak' "

 

Using the SQL Backup conversion utility

The executable for the SQL Backup conversion command prompt utility is sqb2mtf.exe. It is located in the folder in which you installed SQL Backup; for example, C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup.

To convert a split backup to MTF format, use sqb2mtf.exe to convert each of the backup files in turn. You can then restore the MTF format files as a group of split backup files.

Syntax

sqb2mtf sqb_file_name bak_file_name [password]

Arguments

sqb_file_name

The name of the backup file that you want to convert.

bak_file_name

The name of the destination file for the converted Microsoft Tape Format backup.

password

The password for the SQL Backup backup file that you are converting, if the file is encrypted.

 

 

 


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