SQL Server Performance Forum – Threads Archive
Backup for SQL databases under cluster
In addition to third party backup software, what is the best for SQL databases backup on Windows 2000 Advanced platform? In addition to tape backup, I am thinking of under SQL cluster: 1. Take the SQL cluster offline. 2. Make copy of all the SQL drives to another server Will that be considered full backup of SQL databases? Please advise. Of course, I am taking systemt state backup, etc.No need to take the cluster offline. Use SQL Server’s own backup functions (for example trough maintenance plans) to create backups. This can be done while the databases are online. SQL Server can create backup files on disk that you then back up to tape as any other file on the server. You can backup directly to tape as well but it’s a bit slower.
Thank you…But I think I did not mention clearly and that is we have things on SQL drives that are not covered through databases and was wondering by taking SQL offline and performing copy of all SQL drives will kill two birds with one shot. With SQL offine and copying whole drive will that be a complete backup to recover databases?
Well you are limiting your restore options. If you are restoring to the same server you might have no issues since SQL Server is rather "kind" application and you could probably replace the SQL files while the server is offline and copy the files back to restore it to a previous state. I don’t think it’s a supported solution though. If you’re entire server would crash and you need to restore the MDF and LDF files to another server it’s not always that easy, especially when dealing with the system databases. I would still recommend you to use the built-in backup routines to dump database backups to disk, then just pick up the backup files when you are copying the other files. Here you have more options as well as transaction log backup for example. No need to backup the entire database all the time.
That’s an excellent suggestion… Thank u so much…
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