Before performing database backups within your SQL Server environment, establish a backup and restore strategy. Your strategy should consider the following points:
- Data availability needs.
- Data loss impact.
- Recovery model you want to use: Simple, Full, or Bulk-Logged.
- Restore process you want to use: InstantRestore or normal.
- Data storage space allotted to backup storage.
SQL Safe supports whatever strategy you decide to implement, while allowing you to take advantage of the fastest, most efficient SQL Server backup solution available. You can create custom backup and restore policies that ensure your data is archived and recovered according to your corporate standards and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
If your strategy includes tape backup, SQL Safe also allows you to easily integrate the third party data-protection product, Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM), into your backup strategy. For more information, see integrate SQL Safe with TSM.
If your SQL Server environment requires FIPS compliance, see ensure FIPS compliance.
How do you define a backup and recovery strategy?
Use the following checklist to ensure you have everything in place to successfully implement your backup strategy.
| Follow these steps ... |
| Determine the backup types you want to perform for your different SQL Server instances. |
| Determine what type of compression you need. |
| Determine the type of encryption you want to use. |
| Identify which databases should be routinely archived using backup policies. |
| Identify which databases should be routinely recovered using restore policies. |
How can you get your database up and running quickly during a restore?
SQL Safe's InstantRestore feature is the fastest way to get your database back online. Under certain conditions, InstantRestore allows you to restore your database while providing your users with quick access to the database during this process. Note that you may experience some performance issues because the restore is still running while you attempt to use the database.