Multiple Differential Backup Streams

  • Hi

    Is it possible to have 2 separate differential backup streams running against the same database?

    The backups on one of our servers are managed by a 3rd party company. They have setup a straight to tape backup schedule of Weekly Full, Nightly Diff.

    I now wish to setup my own separate Weekly Full, Nightly Diff backup schedule. The problem being as soon as I do my Full backup it will put the 3rd party Diff backups out of synch.

    Is there any way of telling the Diff backup which Full backup it should be using as its starting point?

    cheers

  • use the COPY_ONLY option with differential and full backups so that you do not have to break existing schedules

    EG

    Full Backup

    backup database TEST_V

    to disk = 'c:\backup\test_v_full.bak'

    WITH INIT,COPY_ONLY

    Differential backup

    backup database TEST_V

    to disk = 'c:\backup\test_v_DIFF.bak'

    WITH INIT,COPY_ONLY,DIFFERENTIAL

    -:-)

    Cheer Satish 🙂

  • Thanks for the reply.

    Forgot to mention though - it's SQL 2000 so copy only is not an option unfortunately.

    thanks anyway.

  • There's no way to have separate diff 'streams' Even if you could use COPY_ONLY, it just means that the backup that you've taken doesn't reset the diff base. Any diffs you take will still be based off the last full backup that didn't specify COPY_ONLY

    Can you not ask the vender to back up to disk first then copy to tape

    In future please post SQL 2000 related posts in the SQL 2000 forums. If you post in the 2005 forums you may well get SQL 2005-related solutions

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

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