Backing up databases is a balancing act: you want to make sure you’re getting a safe solution that’s effective, but you don’t want to break the bank doing it. Today we’re looking at software for MS SQL Server that hits all the right notes, SqlBackupAndFtp. It’s an automated, scriptable backup program that lets you backup to local drive, FTP or cloud storage. And, with a free tier that lets you backup upto two databases at no charge, it’s designed to let you grow into the solution you need.
SqlBackupAndFtp is designed to work with all versions of Microsoft SQL Server, especially SQL Server Express 2005, 2008 & 2014 which lack any backup mechanism at all. It provides an easy-to-use interface for scheduling backups, checking on the results, and restoring if necessary. Below, I will walk through a few of the reasons why I’m recommending it as a simple backup solution for SQL Server.
Interface
The time is long past when you had to read software manuals in order to start using some application. Nowadays, it’s a must for software to have a clear and intuitive interface and I think SqlBackupAndFtp fully meets this requirement. The windows is divided into three sections: on the left you see all your backup jobs with their statuses, in the middle you can tune the selected job, and on the right section you see all backup history related to the job.
Backup storages
All backups has a tendency to grow over time. Businesses grow, the amount of data you’re storing grows, and the amount of time you’re required to store it can grow as well, all of which can lead to expanding storage needs. That’s why having multiple options for destinations is important. Often times, you’ll start with a simple backup host such as an FTP, and find that you eventually have to upgrade as time goes on. With SqlBackupAndFtp you can start with a simple FTP solution out of the box, then upgrade to any major cloud provider. It has support for Amazon’s S3 and Azure’s Blob Storage, meaning you can use however much space you need.
On top of that, you can compress and encrypt the backups, allowing you to save space and provide an additional layer of security. When you’re paying for each GB you use with a cloud provider and for the bandwidth to transmit them, zipping your backups before you send them can save you hundreds. And if you’re storing sensitive data, you’ll appreciate AES encryption and password-protected zip files that let know your data can only be read by you.
Automation
Database backups are about making sure your most valuable content is secure. That means you need to be able to create your own schedule, and you need to be sure that the software you’re using follows through with it. With SqlBackupAndFtp, you build your backup schedule. Because it integrates closely with the server, you can include multiple different types of backups in the same schedule, full backups, differential, or the transaction logs.
Restore
The automation doesn’t end with the scheduling. Trusting in your backups means you need to be able to restore as fast as possible to prevent costly downtime. SqlBackupAndFtp offers one-click restoration, you just need to identify the backup you’re restoring from and it will be restored on your server. On top of that, the application will correctly choose and restore in the right order all transaction log and differential backups necessary for restoring your database to the selected point in time.
Backup confirmation emails
After you’ve set up your backups, SqlBackupAndFtp sends automatic emails letting you know when they’ve run, giving you some extra peace of mind. The program also gives you the option of setting a separate email address for failure notifications, allowing you to notify your team of any irregularities before they become a real issue. The emails can be sent through SqlBackupAndFtp service, meaning that instead of filling up all your SMTP information you need just to type your email address only.
Web Log
Another interesting feature in SqlBackupAndFtp is the web log. If you check “See the backup history on the web” in job settings, you can see the job history on sqlbackupandftp.com/weblog:
If you have multiple computers running SqlBackupAndFtp, it is very convenient to see the status of all of your computers in one place
A Complete Solution for Lower Price
It’s interesting that while SqlBackupAndFtp is about $90 per license, it can successfully compete with other enterprise database backup software that runs almost $1000 for a single license. You can meet your essential needs and secure your data for a fraction of the price, and still get the full feature set of more expensive competitors.
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
First appeared on SQL SERVER – Effective Way to Take Backup with SQL Backup and FTP 11