Oh! I forgot When I took last Database Backup ? How to determine this? TIP # 66

 

In last few tips TIP #64 & TIP #65  we get information  how to take backup & How to ensure it can be restore? Now lets me share some more information related to backup.

Problem:-   Sometimes , we are interested to know when last backup is taken for particular database ?

Solution:  The first thing I want to share here that  you should have proper maintenance plan to take backup of database and by job History you are able to know when last backup is taken but if this is not the case then not to worry SQL Server maintain itself information related to backup. to determine this you need to write a simple query as shown below

SELECT 
   CONVERT(CHAR(100), SERVERPROPERTY('Servername')) AS Server,
   msdb.dbo.backupset.database_name, 
   msdb.dbo.backupset.backup_start_date, 
   msdb.dbo.backupset.backup_finish_date,
   msdb.dbo.backupset.expiration_date,
   CASE msdb..backupset.type 
       WHEN 'D' THEN 'Database' 
       WHEN 'L' THEN 'Log' 
   END AS backup_type, 
   msdb.dbo.backupset.backup_size, 
   msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily.logical_device_name, 
   msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily.physical_device_name,  
   msdb.dbo.backupset.name AS backupset_name,
   msdb.dbo.backupset.description
FROM   msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily 
   INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset ON msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily.media_set_id = msdb.dbo.backupset.media_set_id

ORDER BY 
   msdb.dbo.backupset.database_name,
   msdb.dbo.backupset.backup_finish_date

  When I run above command I get information related backup like databasename, backup start date, Backup finish date, expiry date(if any) , backup type like whether it is database backup or Log backup , size of backup , path where database is taken, name of backup set.

see below snap for detail

I hope this tip might help you somewhere.

Thanks !!

Rj!!

How to take compressed backup in SQL Server TIP #64

Problem:-  A good maintenance plan always said to take backup but sometimes it is very difficult to take backup of database just because of space constraint.
We take backup but we don’t have enough space available.
Solutions:  SQL server provided  the best way and gave us solution of compressed backup. Now how to take compressed backup let see step by step here.
Step 1:-  Select the database whose backup you want. Just right click and select backup option as shown in below figure

Step 2:-  Once you click the backup option an new screen will appear as shown below

Step 3:-  Now click on  Add button as shown in above screen. Once you click on the add button a new screen will appear as shown below where you have to provide the path and file name of compressed backup file.

Step 4:-   Once you provided the filename click OK to the button now click on the options menu on right hand you will get new tab option here in the last you will get compress option as shown in below figure with arrow. Select compress backup option in dropown
once this done click on OK button now you are good to go. Your compressed backup is done. and you will get backup complete message as shown below

Or else you can use following command
BACKUP DATABASE INDIANDOTNETDB
TO DISK = 'E:\MyCompressedBackup.bak'
WITH COMPRESSION ;
You will get compressed backup.

I hope this will help you somewhere.
Enjoy!!!
RJ!!