How To Modify Backup Device (Dump Device) Physical Path

  • Hi, I have over 200 backup devices which all point to a path like: E:\MSSQL\BACKUP. I recently added a new drive and the letter is F. I want to relocate my backups to this drive but I need to modify my backup devices so they point to F:\MSSQL\BACKUP.

    Does anyone have or know of a custom script that I can use to modify each device?

    Does anyone know of a system SP that will do it?

    I know about sp_adddumpdevice and sp_dropdevice but was trying to save some time in building a script if someone already had one.

    I also know this value is stored in the master database but was apprehensive about manipulating it.

    Thanks...

    John

  • Run these commands to generate add & drop scripts for the devices you have already. The add scripts have the new drive letter.

    [font="Courier New"]select 'exec sp_addumpdevice ''disk'', ''' + [name] + ''', ''' + REPLACE(UPPER([physical_name]), 'E:\', 'F:\') + ''''

    from master.sys.backup_devices

    select 'exec sp_dropdevice ''' + [name] + ''''

    from master.sys.backup_devices

    [/font]



    Scott Duncan

    MARCUS. Why dost thou laugh? It fits not with this hour.
    TITUS. Why, I have not another tear to shed;
    --Titus Andronicus, William Shakespeare


  • Thanks. I'll check it out. Much appreciated.

  • You can also use the GUI to modify the backup device properties.

    Cheers,
    Sugeshkumar Rajendran
    SQL Server MVP
    http://sugeshkr.blogspot.com

  • I am having similar issue. However, the destination of file is grayed out. Any idea why this might be?

  • You can't edit it. Drop & add are your options. That field is there for when you setup a new one. You can't use it to edit an existing one.



    Scott Duncan

    MARCUS. Why dost thou laugh? It fits not with this hour.
    TITUS. Why, I have not another tear to shed;
    --Titus Andronicus, William Shakespeare


  • Thanks guys. I ended up deleting the old ones and creating new ones with the different path.

  • Hi Guys,

    is it possible to backup to a network drive ???

  • Yes it is possible. All my backup devices point to UNC paths on a Network SAN volume and work perfectly fine. In SQL 2000 there were issues but with 2005, the SQL agent handles this just fine.

  • But, if you search this site, UNC paths for backups are not recommended because a glitch in your network during the backup could corrupt the file. Having said that, at my previous employer, we used UNC paths and never had an issue. At my current job, everything is local, then swept to tape. Lots of different opinions on the topic. The main thing is to ensure you have good backups by restoring it to a dev/test environment from time to time and possibly running a CHECKDB against it. It helps me sleep better at night knowing I'm OK!

    -- You can't be late until you show up.

  • how about this one

    -- jobi dd 08/12/2003

    -- verplaatsen backupdevices

    use master

    Declare @DevNameSuffix varchar(10)

    Declare @OldPath varchar(500)

    Declare @NewPath varchar(500)

    select @DevNameSuffix = 'Log'

    , @OldPath = 'T:\MSSQL\BACKUP\'

    , @NewPath = 'T:\MSSQL\BACKUP\IncLogBackup\'

    -- select @OldPath = 'U:\MSSQL$ALBE0DB78\BACKUP\'

    -- , @NewPath = 'U:\MSSQL$ALBE0DB78\BACKUP\IncLogBackup\'

    create table #TmpDevices(

    device_name sysname ,

    physical_name nvarchar(100),

    description nvarchar(255),

    status int ,

    cntrltype smallint ,

    size int )

    declare @Tsql varchar(128)

    declare @TsqlDrop nvarchar(500)

    declare @TsqlAdd nvarchar(500)

    set @Tsql = 'sp_helpdevice'

    insert into #TmpDevices

    exec (@Tsql)

    declare csrDevices cursor for

    select 'sp_dropdevice @logicalname = ''' + device_name + ''''

    , 'sp_addumpdevice @devtype = ''disk'', @logicalname = ''' + device_name + ''', @physicalname = '''

    + replace(physical_name,@OldPath,@NewPath) + ''''

    from #TmpDevices

    where device_name like '%' + @DevNameSuffix

    and cntrltype = 2

    and physical_name like @OldPath + '%'

    for read only

    open csrDevices

    FETCH NEXT FROM csrDevices

    INTO @TsqlDrop, @TsqlAdd

    WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0

    BEGIN

    --T:\MSSQL\BACKUP--begin tran ReplLogDev --> The procedure 'sp_dropdevice' cannot be executed within a transaction.

    exec ( @TsqlDrop )

    exec ( @TsqlAdd )

    --commit tran ReplLogDev

    FETCH NEXT FROM csrDevices

    INTO @TsqlDrop, @TsqlAdd

    END

    -- Cursor afsluiten

    CLOSE csrDevices

    DEALLOCATE csrDevices

    --Opvragen nieuwe toestand

    create table #TmpDevicesNew(

    device_name sysname ,

    physical_name nvarchar(100),

    description nvarchar(255),

    status int ,

    cntrltype smallint ,

    size int )

    set @Tsql = 'sp_helpdevice'

    insert into #TmpDevicesNew

    exec (@Tsql)

    -- drop table #TmpDevices

    -- drop table #TmpDevicesNew

    Johan

    Learn to play, play to learn !

    Dont drive faster than your guardian angel can fly ...
    but keeping both feet on the ground wont get you anywhere :w00t:

    - How to post Performance Problems
    - How to post data/code to get the best help[/url]

    - How to prevent a sore throat after hours of presenting ppt

    press F1 for solution, press shift+F1 for urgent solution 😀

    Need a bit of Powershell? How about this

    Who am I ? Sometimes this is me but most of the time this is me

  • The forum may frown on it, but even Books online shows that using UNC is acceptable.

  • Indeed, you can use UNC, as long as your service account/proxie account of your backup job has the rights to read/write at that location.

    This also works on sql2000. (been using it for years)

    Johan

    Learn to play, play to learn !

    Dont drive faster than your guardian angel can fly ...
    but keeping both feet on the ground wont get you anywhere :w00t:

    - How to post Performance Problems
    - How to post data/code to get the best help[/url]

    - How to prevent a sore throat after hours of presenting ppt

    press F1 for solution, press shift+F1 for urgent solution 😀

    Need a bit of Powershell? How about this

    Who am I ? Sometimes this is me but most of the time this is me

  • I've used it for years as well, without issue. I do check the accuracy of my backups from time to time, just to be sure. I've heard all the stories about hiccups when going over the wire corrupting the files, but again, I've never had a problem.

    -- You can't be late until you show up.

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