Backing Up Sys Databases

I currently back up the Master and MSDB sys databases, why do some people say
to back up Model as well? I though this was a standard non enhanceable
database. What are the reprocussions of not backing this database up?
Also what is the best way to back up transaction logs? I am doing an hourly
back up of a production database that has a lot changes through out the day.
I do a full back up once each night. The tran log seems to grow bigger than
the data file when I choose the append option for the log. Can I create
seperate tran log back ups or should I choose overwrite instead of append?
Thanks for your help
-ChrisHi Chris
Model is not non-enhanceable. Model is used as the template whenever a new
database is created, so you can put users, stored procedures, permissions,
datatypes, etc, into model, as well as setting the database properties of
model with ALTER DATABASE, and every new database will inherit those objects
and settings.
The tempdb database is built from model every time your SQL Server starts,
so if you want objects, users, user defined datatypes or special permissions
in tempdb, put them in model.
And then, if you do put any of these objects in model, you can backup model
to make it faster to recreate it in case of system failure.
In the future, I would suggest two different messages for different
questions like you have here. It will make it much easier for everybody, you
and anyone trying to help, to keep track of the discussion.
Do you really mean that your tran log is bigger than the data file, or that
the tran log backup file is bigger than the database backup file? Or
something else?
For a heavily updated database and a day's worth of log backups, it could
happen. But without knowing the size of the db, the rate of changes, the
types of changes and the size of the rows changing, the recovery model of
the database, and probably a few other things, there is no way to tell if it
is TOO big.
To restore from backups to the point of a failure, you need ALL the log
backups since the last full backup. If you use the overwrite option when
backing up the log, you will only have the most recent log back, not the
whole set, and you will be unable to recover anything after the last full
backup. Please read about transaction log backups in the Books Online.
--
HTH
Kalen Delaney, SQL Server MVP
www.solidqualitylearning.com
"Chris" <Chris@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:01280324-7A0E-4EAD-B9A7-567FD9480FFE@.microsoft.com...
>I currently back up the Master and MSDB sys databases, why do some people
>say
> to back up Model as well? I though this was a standard non enhanceable
> database. What are the reprocussions of not backing this database up?
> Also what is the best way to back up transaction logs? I am doing an
> hourly
> back up of a production database that has a lot changes through out the
> day.
> I do a full back up once each night. The tran log seems to grow bigger
> than
> the data file when I choose the append option for the log. Can I create
> seperate tran log back ups or should I choose overwrite instead of append?
> Thanks for your help
> -Chris

Backing Up Sys Databases

I currently back up the Master and MSDB sys databases, why do some people sa
y
to back up Model as well? I though this was a standard non enhanceable
database. What are the reprocussions of not backing this database up?
Also what is the best way to back up transaction logs? I am doing an hourly
back up of a production database that has a lot changes through out the day.
I do a full back up once each night. The tran log seems to grow bigger than
the data file when I choose the append option for the log. Can I create
seperate tran log back ups or should I choose overwrite instead of append?
Thanks for your help
-ChrisHi Chris
Model is not non-enhanceable. Model is used as the template whenever a new
database is created, so you can put users, stored procedures, permissions,
datatypes, etc, into model, as well as setting the database properties of
model with ALTER DATABASE, and every new database will inherit those objects
and settings.
The tempdb database is built from model every time your SQL Server starts,
so if you want objects, users, user defined datatypes or special permissions
in tempdb, put them in model.
And then, if you do put any of these objects in model, you can backup model
to make it faster to recreate it in case of system failure.
In the future, I would suggest two different messages for different
questions like you have here. It will make it much easier for everybody, you
and anyone trying to help, to keep track of the discussion.
Do you really mean that your tran log is bigger than the data file, or that
the tran log backup file is bigger than the database backup file? Or
something else?
For a heavily updated database and a day's worth of log backups, it could
happen. But without knowing the size of the db, the rate of changes, the
types of changes and the size of the rows changing, the recovery model of
the database, and probably a few other things, there is no way to tell if it
is TOO big.
To restore from backups to the point of a failure, you need ALL the log
backups since the last full backup. If you use the overwrite option when
backing up the log, you will only have the most recent log back, not the
whole set, and you will be unable to recover anything after the last full
backup. Please read about transaction log backups in the Books Online.
HTH
Kalen Delaney, SQL Server MVP
www.solidqualitylearning.com
"Chris" <Chris@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:01280324-7A0E-4EAD-B9A7-567FD9480FFE@.microsoft.com...
>I currently back up the Master and MSDB sys databases, why do some people
>say
> to back up Model as well? I though this was a standard non enhanceable
> database. What are the reprocussions of not backing this database up?
> Also what is the best way to back up transaction logs? I am doing an
> hourly
> back up of a production database that has a lot changes through out the
> day.
> I do a full back up once each night. The tran log seems to grow bigger
> than
> the data file when I choose the append option for the log. Can I create
> seperate tran log back ups or should I choose overwrite instead of append?
> Thanks for your help
> -Chris