SQL Server Backups and front end backups

  • Hi,

    We have share point databases in SQL Server 2005. We have a script to backup all the databases. But the share point admin also taking backups from front-end and I noticed in the error log the databases were backedup while he is taking the farm backups from fron end. So when we need to restore a database, it would be problamatic because of having backups from both places.

    Is it allowed to take the the backups from fron end, when we are taking backups from SQL Server side???

  • Well - this is one of those 'it depends' type of questions. There is no problem in SQL Server 2005 with multiple tools performing full backups.

    The problems occur when you introduce differential backups into the mix, and/or transaction log backups. If both tools are performing transaction log backups - you have a serious problem with being able to recover. To use the transaction log backups to restore, you need an unbroken log chain - which means you need every single backup from the full backup to the point in time you are recovering to.

    With differential backups - every full backup starts a new log chain and the differential is tied to the last full backup. If the front end is performing full backups, and you are performing fulls and differentials in SQL Server - then you need access to those full backups in order to perform a restore (unless those backups are performed with the COPY_ONLY option).

    Where it gets even worse is that in share point you can have external data that needs to be backed up in conjunction with the database (e.g. documents, pdf files, image files). The database has a pointer to the file on disk and if the file on disk is not backed up at the same time as the database backup you can be out of synch.

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

  • I tend to agree with Jefferey here, but I'd say that you want to standardize so everyone knows in a DR situation which data to restore.

    If there is non-SQL data to sync, and the front end backs it up, I'd let them handle it. If not, I'd ask them to stop and set up a SQL schedule.

  • I would like to know that how the dba's maintaing the share point databases doing the backups?

    please advice

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