Transcript Ch7
SQL Server 2008
Implementation and
Maintenance
Chapter 7: Performing Backups
and Restores
Backing Up Data
A backup is a copy of your data stored in
another location
There are many reasons to backup
• Hardware failures
• Natural disaster
• Malicious updates
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Three types of data to backup
DB data
Log data
FileStream data
Important:
• DB data and Log data should not be on the
same storage device to start, they should not be
backed up to the same backup device.
Recovery Mode
Simple
Full
Bulk-Logged
Yes you can change a DB’s recovery model
How Backups Work
All backups are online backups – meaning the
users can use the database while you backing
up the database
SQL Server adds an LSN (log sequence
number) to each log entry
SQL Server adds a checkpoint every time it
writes the log to the database
The current LSN is recorded when the backup
starts
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How Backups Work, Cont.
The backup process is:
• SQL Server checkpoints the data and records
the LSN of the oldest open transaction
• SQL Server backs up all the pages of the
database that contain data
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Backup Devices
Backups are stored on physical media
• Hard disk (local or remote)
• Tape drive
Backup devices tell SQL Server about
the media
• Temporary devices are created on the fly
• Permanent devices are for reuse
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Full Backups
This is a backup of the entire database,
including:
• Data files and locations
• Portions of the transaction log
You must have a full backup before t-log
and differential backups
• That makes this a baseline backup
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Differential Backups
This records all of the changes since the
last full backup
To find changes SQL Server
• Reads the last LSN of the last full backup
• Compares it with data pages
• Backs up the entire extent when it finds a
changed page
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Transaction Log
Backups
Records only sections of the transaction
log
This is the only backup that will clear the
transaction log
If you don’t back up the log, it will fill up
and users will be locked out
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Filegroup Backups
VLDBs can be broken up into filegroups
Each filegroup can be backed up
separately, except
• Tables and indexes must be backed up
together if they are on separate filegroups
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Other backup method
Partial
• Skip the read-only filegroups
Differential Partial
• Differential + Partial
Copy-Only
• Not affect the backing up sequence (no new
LSN number issues) – for making a copy of
production database
Mirrored
Using Multiple Devices
Multiple devices can speed up backups
SQL Server writes data in stripes to
multiple devices in parallel
• All devices are written to at once
These devices become a media set
Files in a media set can’t be used
individually
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Restores
Backups must be restored in order
• Full, then differentials, then t-logs
On the last restore, use the RECOVERY
option
• This tells SQL Server to let users back into
the database
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Restore Safety Checks
SQL Server records the original file
locations
• Use the MOVE..TO option to override
It also records the original name
• Use the REPLACE option to override
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Point-in-Time Restores
You can restore a database to a specific
point in time
You must have t-log backups in place to do
this
Use the STOPAT option to perform this
restore
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Piecemeal Restores
Use this to restore
• The primary filegroup
• Optionally, secondary filegroups
This lets you make part of a database
available to users
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Backup Strategy
You must have a backup strategy in
place before disaster strikes
Decide what backup types you will use
and when
Decide which databases to backup and
when
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Full Backups Only
Useful for “relatively small” databases
This is the slowest backup strategy
It has the fastest restore time
Make sure to clear t-logs manually
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Full With Differential
Perform a full backup once a week or so
Perform differentials other times
This is a faster backup strategy
It takes longer to restore
• You have to restore more files
Make sure to clear the t-log manually
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Full With T-log
Perform a full backup every night
Perform t-log backups throughout the day
This is a slower backup strategy than
full/differential
It takes longer to restore than just full
• You have to restore more files
You get point-in-time restores
T-logs are cleared for you
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Full/Differential/T-log
This is the fastest backup strategy
It is the slowest restore, but only
marginally
You get point-in-time restores
The t-logs are cleared for you
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Filegroup Backups
This is used for VLDBs
Perform a full backup once a month or so
Backup a filegroup once a week
Perform t-log backups throughout the day
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Two new backup features for 2008
Compressed backup (4:1)
• Slow, not recommended,
• Not effective for pictures
Encrypted
• Need the key to decrypt
• Recommended to consider for the right
application