SQL Backup Master Help

SQL Backup Master supports the use of a local or network folder for database backup storage.

 

This feature makes it easy to back up databases to a remote file server, NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, etc.

 

To create a Local or Network Folder backup destination within SQL Backup Master, click the Add toolbar button in the Destinations section of the Database Backup Editor window. When prompted to choose a destination, select Local or Network Folder and click the Select button.

 

Required Settings

 

This destination requires only a single setting - the full path to the local or network backup folder.

 

You can browse for a local folder path, or enter a path via the keyboard. UNC paths (such as "\\server\share") are fully supported.

 

IMPORTANT: We recommend against the use of mapped drives when configuring Local or Network Folder destinations. Rather than using a mapped network drive, specify the UNC share path explicitly (e.g. as "\\server\share").

 

Authentication Options

 

In some cases, you may need to authenticate to a remote (network) folder location. In such cases, specify the username and password required to connect to the network resource.

 

•You should NOT specify authentication credentials for local paths.

•If authentication is not required, leave these fields blank.

•When connecting to a NAS (network attached storage) device, you may need to enter the device name as part of the username (e.g. "device-name\username").

 

IMPORTANT: If you specify a username and password here, you should also configure your backup job to run using a specific Windows user account.

 

Other Optional Settings

 

•Emergency destination - When this option is enabled, the associated backup destination will be used only if all other backup destinations fail.

 

Backing up to Network Folders

 

SQL Backup Master system service (the process responsible for actually executing backup jobs) runs within the security context of "local system", which means that it cannot access secured remote file system locations by default.

 

When backing up to a network location that requires authentication, you can provide credentials via the username and password fields.

 

Alternatively, if the network location is accessible to a specific Windows account, you can use the Windows account tab of the Backup Job Settings window for this purpose. SQL Backup Master will then execute the backup job within the specified user context.

 

Move Optimization

 

Under certain conditions, SQL Backup Master will attempt to move the database backup file to a local target folder (rather than copy it).

 

In order for this optimization to occur, the target folder location must be on the same volume as the temporary backup folder and the folder backup destination must be last in the backup destination order (note that the backup job editor allows users to specify the order of backup destination execution).

 

Cleanup

 

Each time SQL Backup Master successfully uploads a database backup to a destination, it executes a clean-up procedure.

 

This allows you to automatically remove database backup files that are older than a specified number of days and/or hours.

 

Important: Cleanup operations for a given destination will only affect the database backup files associated with that destination.