Tag: Database Backups & Recovery

  • How to Backup a SQL Server Database

    This guide provides a simple demo on how to back up a SQL Server database and explains three main types of backups in MS SQL: > SQL Server Full Backup > SQL Server Transaction Log Backup > SQL Server Differential Backup > Additional Notes on SQL Server Backups…

    Read More


  • Get Estimated Database Backup/Restore Example

    When you’re waiting on a database backup or restore to complete in SQL Server, we can run the script below to get an estimated time of how long the backup has left to go – We have one 5GB database here currently being backed up at the time…

    Read More


  • Get Last Backup Times for all Databases in SQL Server

    Ensuring your databases are regularly backed up is critical for data recovery in case of corruption, accidental deletions, or other failures. If you don’t have a backup, recovering lost data may be impossible. As a Database Administrator, it’s your number one Priority along-side ensuring your SQL Service is…

    Read More


  • Get Last Database Restore Date and Time in SQL Server

    This guide provides a script to retrieve the last restore date and time for each database in SQL Server. It’s particularly helpful for tracking restore operations or verifying backups during disaster recovery scenarios. The script below queries the sys.databases and dbo.restorehistory system tables to get the most recent…

    Read More


  • How to Restore a Database in SQL Server

    Restoring a database in SQL Server is an essential task for any Database Administrator. Whether it’s part of a disaster recovery plan, setting up a test environment, or moving data between servers, you’ll likely restore databases countless times in your career. You can restore databases through the SQL…

    Read More


  • Show Last Backup Times in SQL Server

    If you’re running a SQL Server and you care about the data held in it, you should already be backing up the databases. But it’s always surprising the number of times you encounter business-critical databases not being backed up as a DBA! When given the opportunity to look…

    Read More


  • Backing up a SQL Server Database with Encryption

    Backing up a SQL Server database with encryption is an essential practice when dealing with sensitive data, particularly if backups are stored off-site or include private customer information. SQL Server provides a secure method to back up databases using encryption by specifying an encryption certificate with the BACKUP…

    Read More


  • How to Backup a SQL Server Certificate

    Backing up SQL Server certificates is essential if you use them, especially for encrypted database backups that may need restoration on another server. This guide explains how to securely back up a SQL Server certificate and its private key. Backing up a SQL Server Certificate 1. Check Existing…

    Read More


  • Attaching SQL Databases Without Log Files

    In a perfect world, you’d never lose a database log file. But when the unexpected happens and you urgently need the data from a database, knowing how to attach a SQL Server database without its log (.ldf) file can be a lifesaver. This guide walks you through the…

    Read More


  • Backup & Restore (WITH FILE)

    In this post I’m going to show what the WITH FILE = X option does when backing-up or restoring a SQL Server database. microsoft_documentation The first thing we need to know is that a backup file can contain multiple databases, and even multiples of the same database. If you…

    Read More