Creating and performing backup

In order to create the Microsoft SQL database backup set, in client application, you should run the Backup set wizard by clicking on New backup set button in My backup sets tab.

In the Backup set wizard mark Advanced copy and select Microsoft SQL Server from drop-down list. Don’t forget to define the backup set name.

Then in SQL Server section define following parameters which are required to connect to the database server:

• Server name – select from drop-down list name of the Microsoft SQL server instance that has to be backed up.

• Authentication - the type of authentication that will be used to connect with SQL Server. Available options are SQL Server Authentication and Windows authentication.

• User – the Microsoft SQL username or Windows username. The user must have permissions to database backup on Microsoft SQL server.

• Password – the password for provided user.

• Database - select a database from the drop-down list or select option: All databases. When all databases option is checked each new database from the server will be included automatically to backup.

System databases are not included in the backup of all databases. For databases: master, model and msdb, the name must be entered manually in the field: Database. Backup of tempdb and Resource Database databases is not supported by our tools.

 The master database contains the configuration of the MS SQL server. If it is not present, it may not be possible to start the SQL server.

If above data has been provided properly the application will connect automatically to database server and will display all available database as drop-down list in Database field. Select one of them or check the All databases what will cause that all databases from the server will be included to backup.

When all data are set correctly click on the Test connection button to check connection to the database.

Next define Temporary directory, it is a local path where the database dump, from Microsoft SQL Server, will be stored. Select also one of the following Backup type that defines the type of database dump:

• Full - every backup will create a full dump of the database,

• Differential - the database dump will contain only the differences that have been made since the last full database dump from server,

• Transaction log - contains all records of transaction log which have been generated since its last copy or last full database backup. It lets to restore the database to given point in the time.

In case of select the differential dump of database select whether and how often the full dump of database has to be made. 

We recommend to perform full database dumps, its frequency depends on database size and differences that are made between backups.

The transaction log is an incremental backup, so when the database is restored from transaction log it is necessary to have all the transaction log records to given point in time. These records are included in the chain of log backups.