Backing up SQL database

[DashDave]

Hi All

Sorry if this is a newbie question, but I need to backup our ACT7 Pro sql db on Win 2012 server, using Retrospect for Windows.  We have the correct license for SQL backup, but Retrospect wants the SQL login and password, or a domain login and password (but we don't use a domain) .

The SQL Server (ACT7) shows the logon as LocalSystem.  Is there a way to login and backup the db without making any changes to SQL?  I'm I just not understanding the SQL set-up?

Thanks.  Dave

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

IMHO no. Depending on the third party backup as your only ACT! database backup can result in more problems if you need to do a restore rather than less. In addition to the main SQL files, the ACT! database includes a set of supplemental file for layouts, templates, etc. that needs to maintain an integrated connection to the SQL protion of the database. The ACT! backup includes all those files and maintains the integration when restored. Worst case with the ACT! backup you would need to do a Restore As rather than a simple Restore to get your database back even if you chose to do the restore to a different system.

I use a system backup that will backup the ACT! database files even when held open by the SQL server. I still consider it a secondary backup, for my primary backup I use the ACT! backup. Also when using the scheduler in ACT! to control the backups you can specify how may backup copies to keep.

[gleo]

Just use Act!'s own backup scheduler utility.  

[DashDave]

Thanks for your comment.  I could do that, but Retrospect is our standard backup solution and actually does have a full blown SQL backup module built in.  Using the ACT back-up would make it a two or more stage process.  First using Retrospect to recover the whole system and then recreating the ACT databases from the zip files.

Its just a bit messy, doable but messy.

Dave

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

IMHO no. Depending on the third party backup as your only ACT! database backup can result in more problems if you need to do a restore rather than less. In addition to the main SQL files, the ACT! database includes a set of supplemental file for layouts, templates, etc. that needs to maintain an integrated connection to the SQL protion of the database. The ACT! backup includes all those files and maintains the integration when restored. Worst case with the ACT! backup you would need to do a Restore As rather than a simple Restore to get your database back even if you chose to do the restore to a different system.

I use a system backup that will backup the ACT! database files even when held open by the SQL server. I still consider it a secondary backup, for my primary backup I use the ACT! backup. Also when using the scheduler in ACT! to control the backups you can specify how may backup copies to keep.

[DashDave]

Hi Roy

Thanks for your input.  I now understand your point and have abandoned the SQL backup and have set up the the ACT backup schedule.  It means I have to document the process for a full restore ( groan) but the zip files will get backed up as part of the standard backup routine and will also get sent to our cloud storage.

Another point is that the zip files are nice and portable too.

many thanks.

Dave