Using SQL Backup

SQL Backup™ enables you to create smaller, safer backups of Microsoft® SQL Server™ databases much more quickly than you can create native backup files.

When you use SQL Backup, your backup files are usually 50% to 90% smaller than native SQL Server backups. The compression you can achieve depends upon the type of data stored in the database; if the database contains a lot of highly-compressible data, such as text and uncompressed images, you can achieve higher compression. SQL Backup provides a 'compression analyzer' so that you can assess the best compression level to use with your data.

Smaller backups save you valuable disk space. For example, if you achieve an average compression rate of 80%, you can store the backup for a 42.5 gigabyte (GB) database on a 8.5 GB DVD-R dual layer disc. Smaller files can also be transferred more quickly over the network, which is particularly useful, for example, when you want to store backups off-site.

SQL Backup also enables you to encrypt your backup files to prevent unauthorized access. This is especially important because compressed backups are much smaller and, therefore, you are much more likely to transfer them over the network. SQL Backup Pro supports 128-bit and 256-bit key Advanced Encryption Standard encryption; it uses the Rijndael cryptographic algorithm which was specified as the Advanced Encryption Standard in 2001 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) Publication 197. SQL Backup Lite does not support encryption.

SQL Backup 5 provides a 'time line' for quick access to a graphical overview of completed backup and restore activities, and jobs scheduled for the future. You can look at an overview of all activities for a SQL Server instance, or activities on individual databases. It clearly shows activities that have failed, which you can then select to see more details. It also shows potential conflicts for scheduled jobs so that you can pre-empt problems.

For a demo of the time line, and further information about the other features in SQL Backup 5, visit the SQL Backup Help Center at www.red-gate.com/sqlbackuphelpcentre

You can use SQL Backup to create full database backups, differential database backups, transaction log backups, and file or filegroup backups.

You can use SQL Backup Pro to back up databases on remote SQL Servers and to back up SQL Server clusters.

Features

SQL Backup provides:

a graphical user interface, with wizards to assist you when you create or restore backups, and features to help you manage your backups
You are recommended to use the graphical user interface until you are familiar with SQL Backup's features.
a command line interface for backing up and restoring databases
an extended stored procedure, which enables you to run SQL Backup processes while you are connected to the database server remotely using an application such as Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, or connectivity tools such as ADO, OLEDB, ODBC
a stand-alone command line utility to generate Microsoft Tape Format (MTF) files from SQL Backup files
a stand-alone wizard to convert existing maintenance plans to use SQL Backup for backup jobs

With SQL Backup you can:

back up multiple databases
back up multiple transaction logs
restore multiple backups
use multiple threads when creating a backup
create split backup files
create mirrored backup files
set up scheduled backup jobs
set up scheduled transaction log shipping
generate automatic email notification when the backup or restore operation is completed, or if errors have occurred during the process
automatically make copies of the backup files as part of the backup procedure
customize the default naming convention used for backup files and folders

Note that SQL Backup does not support cumulative backups in a single file.

For information on what's new in this version, see http://www.red-gate.com/support/versions/index.htm.