1. Backup to Basics
Tom Fox

2. Just who do you think you are?
SQL Server MCITP DBA 2008
Oracle 8i through 12c, Linux, Unix, Windows, SAN administration, Networking, Information Security
Loved coffee since coffee wasn’t cool
Gamer since the Atari 2600 / Commodore 64
Extra class amateur radio operator, KQ8W

3. I'm not a DBA, but wait... Whose data is it?
Who determines criticality?
If lost or damaged, who is impacted?
Managing data is a team responsibility

4. I don’t need backups because…
I have a RAID set
Our disk and/or database is replicated
I have high availability
Configuration and hardware are no replacements for backups

5. To backup or not to backup
OLTP vs Warehousing
User vs System databases
Not tempdb

6. Starting at the basics FULL DIFF TLOG Link to last TLOG backup
Begins the chain
DIFF
Links to last full backup
TLOG
Link to last TLOG backup

7. EVER! The Backup Chain Determines how to restore Resembles a road map
Must have the entire chain to restore
Don’t break the chain
EVER!

8. Full Backup Operation Database checkpoint occurs LSN is recorded
Data is read from the data pages
After data is read, transaction log is read
TLOG backups cannot occur during a full backup
Example: 1st Sunday of Month – Full Backup contains LSN 1 to 100

9. Differential Backup Operation
Same as full except…
Only contains data that has changed since last full backup
Cumulative, not incremental
Example:
2nd Sunday of Month Differential – LSN 100 to 200
3rd Sunday of Month Differential – LSN 100 to 300

10. TLOG Backup Operation Enables point-in-time recovery
Contains all records from LSN of last backup
Incremental, not cumulative
Example
TLOG Backup 1am – 2am contains LSN
TLOG Backup 2am – 3am contains LSN
TLOG Backup 3am – 4am contains LSN

11. The Backup Chain Courtesy of:

12. Recovery Models
Simple
Full
Bulk-Logged 12

13. Choosing a Recovery Model
Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
How much data can I lose?
Recovery Time Objective (RTO)
How quickly can I recover to my RPO?

14. Quiz Choose any backup sequences that are valid
100MB DB, few transactions per hour, RPO 1 hour, RTO 15 minutes
100MB DB, many transactions per hour, RPO 1 hour, RTO 15 minutes
1TB DB, warehouse loaded nightly, RPO 24 hours, RTO 4 hours

15. Your backups are not valid if you only...
RESTORE VERIFYONLY
RESTORE VERIFYONLY … WITH CHECKSUM
Only valid test is to restore the database and run DBCC CHECKDB

16. Get that warm and fuzzy feeling
Enable page verification of CHECKSUM
Run DBCC CHECKDB
Run BACKUP...WITH CHECKSUM
Run RESTORE VERIFYONLY...WITH CHECKSUM
Perform test restores frequently

17. Implementation Maintenance Plans Ola Hallengren (ola.hallengren.com)
Custom jobs
Trace flag 3023 (all versions)
SQL 2014 backup checksum default
Configure SQL Agent appropriately

18. Q & A
Tom Fox