Introduction

Recovery models

Main backup types

Backing up the database files by copying

The transaction log

Transaction log restore sequence

Log sequence numbers

Truncating and shrinking the transaction log

Backing up the tail

Inside the transaction log

So, what's in a backup file?

Test: A full backup does not contain deleted data

Verifying backup files

Verifying backup files on a budget

Why you shouldn't rely on RESTORE VERIFYONLY

Cumulative backups

Recovering individual tables

Backup and restore history details

Backup reads and writes

Speeding up backups

Backup speed details

Speeding up restores

Restore state affects speed too

Backup and restore rights

Log shipping

Log shipping in SQL Server 2000

Setting up log shipping using Enterprise Manager

Checking the set up

Failover

Log shipping in SQL Server 2005

Setting up log shipping using Management Studio

Checking the set up

Log shipping status report

Failover

Log shipping in SQL Backup

Using the CopyTool utility

Failover

3rd party backup applications

VDI

VDI versions

VDI errors

SQL Backup - beyond compression

Restoring a chain of transaction log backups

Restoring to the latest possible state

Backing up multiple databases

Backup retention

Making a copy of the backup file

Backup file naming conventions

Restoring the latest backup set

Network resilience

Encryption

Integrated database verification

Database file relocation

Improved backup retention

RESTORE HELP

Common SQL Backup issues

Installation checklist

Setting up rights

Configuring service rights

Backup data

Hanging issues

Common backup and restore errors

Error 3201 - when performing a backup to a network share

Full database backup file is larger than database size

Error 3205 - Too many backup devices specified for backup or restore

Error 4305 - an earlier transaction log backup is required

Bringing a database that is in recovery or read-only mode online

Using bulk-logged recovery model but transaction log backup is still large

Error 14274 - unable to delete SQL Server Agent job

Error messages when restoring from different versions of SQL Server.