Backup confusion

19 Jul 2006 10:45 PM

Samuel Shulman

I create a new backup device that works every x time and I want to modify
this backup and I can't find it anywhere using the Enterprise Manager

I also don't really understand what is the difference between backup device
and backup a database (to a file) I assume that in both cases the backup of
the database will go to a file

Thank you,
Samuel

19 Jul 2006 11:55 PM

Arnie Rowland

You can view Devices in Enterprise Manager by looking under {Management],
and then [Backup].

In your situation, you could consider a 'Device' as an alias for a file.
However, by right-clicking on the Device in Enterprise Manager, you can
easily see a listing of various backups that are contained in the
Device/File. Just appending to a file would not provide you that capability
(there are other ways though.) I believe that 'DEVICE' is a holdover from
olden times when tape drives required special device drivers in order to be
used for backup.

You may wish to seek out more information about BACKUP DEVICEs in Books On
Line.

--
Arnie Rowland
Most good judgment comes from experience.
Most experience comes from bad judgment.
- Anonymous

Show quote

"Samuel Shulman" <samuel.shul***@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:OzjdHU4qGHA.2464@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I create a new backup device that works every x time and I want to modify
>this backup and I can't find it anywhere using the Enterprise Manager
>
> I also don't really understand what is the difference between backup
> device and backup a database (to a file) I assume that in both cases the
> backup of the database will go to a file
>
> Thank you,
> Samuel
>

20 Jul 2006 3:53 PM

Erland Sommarskog

Samuel Shulman (samuel.shul***@ntlworld.com) writes:

> I create a new backup device that works every x time and I want to modify
> this backup and I can't find it anywhere using the Enterprise Manager
>
> I also don't really understand what is the difference between backup
> device and backup a database (to a file) I assume that in both cases the
> backup of the database will go to a file

Backup devices are essentially leftovers from the days when you normally
backup the database to tape. You can still use them as an alias for a
certain disk location.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esq***@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downloads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books.mspx

20 Jul 2006 7:44 PM

Samuel Shulman

Thans Arnie and Erland

Samuel

Show quote

"Erland Sommarskog" <esq***@sommarskog.se> wrote in message
news:Xns9806B60897966Yazorman@127.0.0.1...
> Samuel Shulman (samuel.shul***@ntlworld.com) writes:
>> I create a new backup device that works every x time and I want to modify
>> this backup and I can't find it anywhere using the Enterprise Manager
>>
>> I also don't really understand what is the difference between backup
>> device and backup a database (to a file) I assume that in both cases the
>> backup of the database will go to a file
>
> Backup devices are essentially leftovers from the days when you normally
> backup the database to tape. You can still use them as an alias for a
> certain disk location.
>
> --
> Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esq***@sommarskog.se
>
> Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downloads/books.mspx
> Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
> http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books.mspx