Question

I manage a web application for a client with the following specs:

• ASP.net 3.5 running on a Virtual Windows 2003 Web Server
• SQL Server Standard hosting the database
• Database current size of 6Gb, with 1Gb/month growth rate
• One single table is responsible for 98% of the size, holds the most critical data for the client
• Log is not kept for this big table, only selects are done in this table
• 50 Gb FTP space avaiable for backup

Considering this scenario, what would be the best strategy for a SQL Backup and what tool would be best suited for this task (commercial applications included, client can pay for the license fee)?

Answer 1

Here is the strategy we use for CodePlex.com:

• All SQL servers run with a peer server using SQL mirroring
• Weekly full backup (stored on separate drive from databases)
• Daily differential backup (stored on separate drive from databases)
• Transaction log backup every 5 minutes (stored on separate drive from databases)
• Daily tape backup
• Tape backups taken offsite weekly

Also very important test your backups! Studies have shown that over 30% of untested backup procedures are flawed. Here is our backup testing strategy:

• Every 30 minutes verify the full backup file exists (using scheduled task)
• Every 30 minutes verify the differential backup file exists (using scheduled task)
• Every 30 minutes verify the transaction log backup file exists (using scheduled task)
• Every 30 minutes verify the database mirroring is configured (using scheduled task)
• Every day, do a test restore of the full+differential backup and report the table row counts (using scheduled task)
• Once a month do a test restore of the most recent tape backup and verify the data