Do I write differential backup into the same file as full backup?

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Do I write differential backup into the same file as full backup?

Vikka

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August 7, 2007 at 2:19 pm

#180256

This is what is asked by default. If I just append, it will not hurt my previous full backup. Or should I write differential backup into some other file?
It's very urgent

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Deepak-405225 SSCertifiable Points: 6120 More actions · Answer 1

i think even if you append it to a single file you can restore it by specifying each one individually as,

restore headeronly from disk='Path of your.bak file'

it will generate what are the backups available in it so from that you can specify and restore as per your desire........

[font="Verdana"]- Deepak[/font]

Andras Belokosztolszki SSC-Insane Points: 22031 More actions · Answer 2

I'd use a a new backup file. The reason for differential backups is to save space. You will need the full backup in order to restore the differential backup, so putting them into a single file would make sense, but then if you take a full backup once a week, and you take differential backups every day, you only need to keep the full backup and the last differential backup. The previous differential backups can be deleted unless you want to restore to a specific date. You cannot delete them from a backup file. So storing the differential backups in the same file would waste space.

Also, to answer your second question, appending a backup file will not get rid of the previous backups in that file, and you can use any of the backups in the backup file. There is an option "WITH INIT" that can be used to clear a backup file, but this is not on by default.

Regards,

Andras

Andras Belokosztolszki, MCPD, PhD
GoldenGate Software

Vikka Hall of Fame Points: 3715 More actions · Answer 3

Andras,

I'm also worried about space, that backups will fill up the disk and put server down. And I worry that something will go wrong and I will not be able to restore.

I take full backup on Sunday and Wednesday and I append it to file. I take differential backups every day except Sunday and Wednesday and save it in another file. And every four hours I back up logs trancating them. Is this correct strategy? Do I need to overwrite or append differential backups ?

I am not a DBA but a .NET programmer. But this week I was "promoted"

steve smith-401573 SSChampion Points: 10889 More actions · Answer 4

Do you have a 'test' environment? As part of your 'promotion' you will want to experiment with actually performing restores (NOT in production environment), so that when you have to actually restore to production you will know what you are doing. You will also be able to understand the differences between the different types of backups and build an intuitive sense of what is happening and why. Gaining experience will help you a great deal. Welcome to our world!

Vikka Hall of Fame Points: 3715 More actions · Answer 5

Well.. developer's world is better. You don't have to worry about servers, networks, users, permissions, databases. All you have to do is write a nit code, think, be creative. The same thing can be done in many different ways, it's almost an art.

And here you have to know what button to press. If you don't know, you screwed. Nothing creative.

I do not have test enviroment. I have development server with .NET and SQL server on it, so applications and databases are on the same server. Server is small, not much space, databases are empty, not production databases.

Then live servers are build all differently. Separate SQL servers and web servers and application servers. And they are all on a different subnet so there are permission problems for our users. I cannot imagine how I can practice to restore all that thing, where.