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 SQL Server backups

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tfountain
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

491 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-14 : 10:05:47
This is more of a poll but I'd like to get others opinions. What is the recommend and preferred methods of SQL Server backups considering all technologies:
- Native SQL Server backup to tape
- Native SQL Server backup to disk
- SAN backups (specifically for my purposes - NetApp Snapshots / FlexClones).

Go!

Bustaz Kool
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

1834 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-14 : 14:45:33
We backup to a network drive (with compression). From there the backup file is saved to tape for long term retention and the backup drive is saved for intermediate term availability.

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We are far more concerned about the desecration of the flag than we are about the desecration of our land. -Wendell Berry
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donpolix
Yak Posting Veteran

97 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-14 : 15:43:53
Native sql backup with compression to SAN drive. Backup files are then backed up to tape by Netbackup.

Donn Policarpio
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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-14 : 16:18:18
Backing up directly to tape is deprecated in T-SQL. I don't believe it's recommended by Microsoft, and no DBA I know of recommends it.

We back up to a local drive and use 3rd party compression to save additional space, and then copy over to a network share. We are currently adding offsite backup as a "tape" option, but all our on-site backups are kept on network shares.
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tfountain
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

491 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-15 : 10:52:35
Interesting that the tape option is depreciated. Any thoughts on how that will impact the tape vendors, say like Backup Exec?
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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-15 : 11:08:09
I'm not too thrilled with many backup vendors anyway, the market can stand to lose a few. Don't blame Microsoft for tape's demise, everyone's moving to flash storage too. Disk is the new tape.
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tfountain
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

491 Posts

Posted - 2012-11-19 : 13:48:24
Thanks for your input everyone. You've helped me confirm my initial direction is valid - backup to disk and then allow our infrastructure group backup the files to tape.

Currently our databases are backuped up to tape directly and there are all sorts of issues. It currently takes 9+ hours to do a full backup of all our databases (just under 1 TB). And that's only production. My new proposal is going to go straight to disk plus include a few additional optimizations (to name a few):
- Use compression where necessary
- Use multiple backup files (up to 1 per CPU)
- Separate backup traffic from the network traffic

I see no reason why we cannot backup 1 TB of data to disk in 30 minutes tbh. I based most of this on a case study for fast and reliable backup and restore of VLDB over the network.
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