I'm currently using the Tasks>"Export Data ..." utility through the Management Studio to get a "backup" of my website's data to my home computer.

I would like to automate a custom backup solution. I would "ideally" like my home computer to make the db server create a backup and then get the .bak file through FTP. I still have to figure out how to do this but I'm sure a combination of osql/DTS, ftp, and some DOS scripting can do the trick. I would run this weekly for now but if my site is successful, I would run it daily.

I do see a roadblock for my custom backup solution. I can't access my .bak file without bugging hostingfest with a ticket (hostingfest helps you with attaching DB's and such as described on this post). Hostingfest has great customer service but I'm sure they would not like helping me with this daily.

I guess I could get osql/DTS, ftp, and bash scripting to:
1. Create a temp DB on my local computer
2. Run a table creation script on my temp DB
3. Disable constraints and enable identity column inserts
4. Use the "Export Data ..." utility that I know works to get the data from hostingfest to my local temp DB
5. Enable constraints and disable identity column inserts
6. Create a backup (*.bak) file of my temp DB
7. Nuke the tempDB

But as you can see, the stepped solution described above would be a lot harder for me to implement (given that I've never done it before). So I would prefer to go with my "ideal" solution and access the .bak file created on the hostingfest servers.

But maybe I'm just over thinking this and there is an easier backup strategy? I just started using hosingfest so maybe I'm not aware of something.

Thanks for your help!

Pedro

Thanks for the prompt response. I'll be doing my backups manually for now. If I find the time to create (and be successfull at it) a DOS script that will do what I described above, I'll share it on this post.

Pedro

Any update on having a user accessible SQL backup? Or even HELM4?

Thanks.