Backup Concepts
116 Agent for Microsoft SQL Server Guide
Backup Considerations
You should back up a database immediately after you create it and continue to
back it up on a regular schedule to ensure smooth recovery from a database or
media failure. Maintain regular backups of all databases, including:
■
The master, msdb, and model databases
■
All user databases and all SQL Server extended service databases
■
The distribution database (if the server is configured as a replication
distributor)
Important
! Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008 Mirror databases and
Point-in-Time Snapshots cannot be backed up and do not appear in the database
list. For more information about database mirroring and Point-in-Time
Snapshots of databases, see the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.
During backup jobs, certain files are excluded. CA ARCserve Backup has two
registry keys you can use to control the files to include or skip. The type of
database agent you are using determines which registry key to use for this
purpose. To include SQL database files in a backup job, set the BackupDBFiles
registry key to 1. Do not use SkipDSAFiles with SQL database files. For more
information, refer to the topic,
Skip or Include Database Files in Backups
(see
page 89).
Important!
Performing a backup can slow the system down. For better backup
performance and to minimize impact on applications using the database, run
backups when the database is not being heavily updated.
Required Full Backup
Restoring a database to a point in time or to the point of failure requires a specific
restore sequence that begins with the last Full Database backup performed prior
to that point. Any Differential, Partial or Transaction Log backups performed
after the Full Backup are restored next, to roll the database forward. After you
perform certain database managerial tasks, you must perform a new Full
Database backup to re-establish the restore sequence. If you perform a
Database Differential, Transaction Log, Partial Database or File and FileGroups
backup after performing one of these tasks, a Full Database backup performed
prior to performing the task may no longer work to successfully restore the
database.
To ensure a successful database restore, always perform a Full Database backup
immediately after you have performed any of the following actions:
■
Created a new database
■
Changed the recovery model of the database
■
Changed the number of files or FileGroups in the database
