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What is the difference between Differential Back up and Transaction Log Backup?
Hi Community,
Being quite new to SQL, may I know what is the difference between Differential Back up and Transaction Log Backup in SQL management studio 2016?
Also can advise what exactly am I backing up in Transactional Logs?
Can you also direct me or show me how to do a step by step Transactional Log backup?
Thank you so much!
Differential Backup:
- A differential backup captures only the changes made since the last full backup.
- It includes all the changes made to the database since the last full backup, regardless of whether a transaction log backup has been performed.
- Differential backups are generally larger than transaction log backups as they include more data changes.
- It is suitable for scenarios where you need a more comprehensive backup and faster recovery compared to a full backup.
Transaction Log Backup:
- A transaction log backup captures all the transactions made since the last transaction log backup.
- It only includes the changes recorded in the transaction log, not the actual data pages.
- Transaction log backups are smaller in size compared to differential backups because they only contain the log records.
- They are essential for point-in-time recovery and provide a way to restore the database to a specific time.
To perform a step-by-step transaction log backup in SQL Server Management Studio 2016, follow these steps:
-
Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to the SQL Server instance containing your database.
-
In the Object Explorer, expand the Databases node and locate the database for which you want to perform a transaction log backup.
-
Right-click on the database, hover over Tasks, and then click on "Back Up..."
-
In the "Back Up Database" window, select "Transaction Log" from the "Backup type" drop-down menu.
-
In the "Destination" section, choose the destination where you want to store the backup file. You can either specify a disk location or use a tape drive.
-
In the "Backup set" section, provide a unique name for the backup set, or you can use the default name.
-
Click the "Add" button to specify any additional backup locations or devices if needed.
-
Click "OK" to initiate the transaction log backup.
Once the backup is complete, you'll have a transaction log backup file that you can use for point-in-time recovery or to restore your database to a specific state.
Hope that helps!
1 Reply
- JulianePadrao
Microsoft
Differential Backup:
- A differential backup captures only the changes made since the last full backup.
- It includes all the changes made to the database since the last full backup, regardless of whether a transaction log backup has been performed.
- Differential backups are generally larger than transaction log backups as they include more data changes.
- It is suitable for scenarios where you need a more comprehensive backup and faster recovery compared to a full backup.
Transaction Log Backup:
- A transaction log backup captures all the transactions made since the last transaction log backup.
- It only includes the changes recorded in the transaction log, not the actual data pages.
- Transaction log backups are smaller in size compared to differential backups because they only contain the log records.
- They are essential for point-in-time recovery and provide a way to restore the database to a specific time.
To perform a step-by-step transaction log backup in SQL Server Management Studio 2016, follow these steps:
-
Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to the SQL Server instance containing your database.
-
In the Object Explorer, expand the Databases node and locate the database for which you want to perform a transaction log backup.
-
Right-click on the database, hover over Tasks, and then click on "Back Up..."
-
In the "Back Up Database" window, select "Transaction Log" from the "Backup type" drop-down menu.
-
In the "Destination" section, choose the destination where you want to store the backup file. You can either specify a disk location or use a tape drive.
-
In the "Backup set" section, provide a unique name for the backup set, or you can use the default name.
-
Click the "Add" button to specify any additional backup locations or devices if needed.
-
Click "OK" to initiate the transaction log backup.
Once the backup is complete, you'll have a transaction log backup file that you can use for point-in-time recovery or to restore your database to a specific state.
Hope that helps!