SafeToSQL provides a quick and easy way to convert SQL Safe archive files to the format used by Microsoft SQL Server. The conversion SafeToSQL performs is useful when you are sending your archive files to someone who may not have SQL Safe installed, and needs to access the archive files for troubleshooting or data migration purposes.
You can execute this conversion though a simple command-line statement from the command shell or in a batch file. When SafeToSQL converts the .safe file, the utility appends the name of the backup set index to the .bak file name.
How does the utility handle multi-threaded backup sets?
SQL Safe has the capability of creating multi-threaded backup set to multiple virtual devices. When that backup set is converted using SafeToSQL, multiple SQL Server backup files will be created, one for each virtual device.
Why does the utility output multiple backup files from a single SQL Safe archive?
SQL Safe uses multiple processing threads to apply compression and encryption settings during a backup operation. During the backup, SQL Server divides the data between separate backup devices. SQL Safe then writes the finished backup from all of these devices into a single archive file. When SafeToSQL converts the .safe file to native format, a separate .bak file is created for each device or thread that was used during the original backup. This approach ensures the information can be restored to SQL Server using the same number of devices that were used for the backup. This is a SQL Server requirement.