backups

We use Veritas for backups on SS2000. Right now we do backups using the sql
server agent. Would there be any problem doing just a file backup rather tha
n
whatever the sql server agent does?
If we restored from the file backup, I'm guessing we would restore the file
then do a detach/attach to get the restored file in place. Or would doing
just a file backup miss something?
Thanks,
--
Dan D.You can't use file backup on a SQL Server database file. While it is being
written to it is not guaranteed to be in a internally consistent state, and
even Veritas and other file backup software can backup open files, the file
can be corrupted from a SQL Server point of view. When you use SQL Server
backup, SQL Server will make sure that it is in a consistent state before
making the backup.
Jacco Schalkwijk
SQL Server MVP
"Dan D." <DanD@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FD6EAE71-85D7-4AE9-918A-D504D29761D1@.microsoft.com...
> We use Veritas for backups on SS2000. Right now we do backups using the
> sql
> server agent. Would there be any problem doing just a file backup rather
> than
> whatever the sql server agent does?
> If we restored from the file backup, I'm guessing we would restore the
> file
> then do a detach/attach to get the restored file in place. Or would doing
> just a file backup miss something?
> Thanks,
> --
> Dan D.|||Hi,
If you need to backup the MDF and LDF directly then:-
1. Detach the database <sp_detach_db>
2. Copy the MDF, LDF and NDF for the database to the backup folder
3. Attach back the databasee <SP_attach_db>
While required you could attach the file to a database in any SQL Server
using sp_attach_db command.
Thanks
Hari
SQL Server MVP
"Dan D." <DanD@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FD6EAE71-85D7-4AE9-918A-D504D29761D1@.microsoft.com...
> We use Veritas for backups on SS2000. Right now we do backups using the
> sql
> server agent. Would there be any problem doing just a file backup rather
> than
> whatever the sql server agent does?
> If we restored from the file backup, I'm guessing we would restore the
> file
> then do a detach/attach to get the restored file in place. Or would doing
> just a file backup miss something?
> Thanks,
> --
> Dan D.|||I've personally never cared for the Veritas agent in backing up SQL
databases. There are several good methods available for backing up SQL
data.. However, you cannot simply run a file backup on a SQL server and get
the data backed up. The MDF and LDF files are in use, as someone else poste
d.
To use the file backup method, you must use a SQL backup to disk, then
backup the backup files. That is, let SQL dump a backup file to DISK, then
use Veritas to backup that file.
I currently manage 40 SQL Servers and use this method. I have had mixed
results with the Veritas agent. There are some other products on the market
to assist with file based backups, such as Red Gate SQL Backup or SQL
Litespeed. They compress the backups to disk.
An easy way to get started with disk based backups is to go through the
database maintenance wizard and have it walk you through configuring and
scheduling a backup. Just remember to make sure your backups are finished o
n
SQL before Veritas starts it's backup.
Hope this helps.
Bryan
"Dan D." wrote:

> We use Veritas for backups on SS2000. Right now we do backups using the sq
l
> server agent. Would there be any problem doing just a file backup rather t
han
> whatever the sql server agent does?
> If we restored from the file backup, I'm guessing we would restore the fil
e
> then do a detach/attach to get the restored file in place. Or would doing
> just a file backup miss something?
> Thanks,
> --
> Dan D.|||Thanks everyone for your responses. That helps a lot.
Bryan,
I tried LiteSpeed once but it wasn't any faster (which I expected it to be)
and according to our sysadmin it didn't compress the files any smaller than
Veritas.
We've had a lot of problems too with Veritas. I'm not in charge of the
backups so I'm not sure if the problems are Veritas related, hardware relate
d
or something else but it really is a pain. I backup our most critical
databases to another server via Sql Server.
Thanks,
--
Dan D.
"Bryan Ivie" wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> I've personally never cared for the Veritas agent in backing up SQL
> databases. There are several good methods available for backing up SQL
> data.. However, you cannot simply run a file backup on a SQL server and g
et
> the data backed up. The MDF and LDF files are in use, as someone else pos
ted.
> To use the file backup method, you must use a SQL backup to disk, then
> backup the backup files. That is, let SQL dump a backup file to DISK, the
n
> use Veritas to backup that file.
> I currently manage 40 SQL Servers and use this method. I have had mixed
> results with the Veritas agent. There are some other products on the mark
et
> to assist with file based backups, such as Red Gate SQL Backup or SQL
> Litespeed. They compress the backups to disk.
> An easy way to get started with disk based backups is to go through the
> database maintenance wizard and have it walk you through configuring and
> scheduling a backup. Just remember to make sure your backups are finished
on
> SQL before Veritas starts it's backup.
> Hope this helps.
> Bryan
>
> "Dan D." wrote:
>