delete old backup files

Question

delete old backup files

Walter Tucholski

Ten Centuries

Points: 1262
More actions
September 28, 2006 at 7:42 am

#60870

I have created a job to create full database backups daily using the Maintenance Plan Wizard in SS2005. The number of backup files keeps increasing with every day. The problem is I only want to keep the three most recent backup files. I do not see any options in the wizard to tell it to delete files older than a certain date. I'm sure I must be missing something. How can I get rid of the older backup files, preferably using the Maintenace Plan?

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MVDBA (Mike Vessey) SSC-Insane Points: 21797 More actions · Answer 1

in sql2005 you have to add a job to the maintenance plan for "delete maintenance plan files" - this can be performed before or after the backup itself (i recommend after)

please not that if you use the option to backup each database to a seperate folder then you'll need one of these tasks for each folder... microsoft forgot to include a "subfolder" option in the delete maintenance files object.

MVDBA

Walter Tucholski Ten Centuries Points: 1262 More actions · Answer 2

Mike,

Thanks for your quick response. I do not see "delete maintenance plan files" as a an available task when I am creating a maintenance plan using the Maint Plan Wizard? Nor do I see it as available when I right click on the toolbox and select "choose items"?

Walter Tucholski Ten Centuries Points: 1262 More actions · Answer 3

Mike,

Never mind, I found the task. For some reason it does not show up when using the Maintenance Wizard. Thanks again for you help.