Not sure why it would switch from Full to simple recovery mode.
Full recovery is only useful if you need to restore your database to a
specific point in time. I have a db that we need snapshots taken every 2
hours. This allows me to restore not only to restore to a specific day, but
to within 2 hours of the problem. My DB is 90 GB but my transaction logs are
only 2 GB. Its much quicker to take 12 x 2 GB transaction log backups
throughout the day than it is to do 12 x 90 GB Full backups. In my case, my
db MUST be in full recovery mode. Note however, that since this DB is in
full mode, I MUST perform transaction log backups or they will never commit
their transactions and purge themselves. If you are using BE only (and not
sql enterprise manager's maintenance plans) a full backup job in BE is not
enough, you must also schedule a transaction log backup (preferably at least
1 per day; preferably, just before your full backup.)
I have another 60 GB db that is just archive data. I only do 1 backup a day
on it. I keep this one in simple recovery mode. No need for a separate
transaction log backup (in either BE or sql ent mgr)

"Don B" wrote in message news:41da1511@ROSASTDMZ05....
>
> I thought I understood all of this, however the more I read, the more I'm
> confused.
>
> I'm backing up a SQL server, with agent, using the "full backup" method.
> This is all fine, though I have one database that keeps changing from
"full
> mode" to simple mode. So that brings up the first question. Do I want the
> sql DB's in simple or full?
>
> Now, I would like to do backups during the daytime to a NAS unit incase
development
> guys screw up the database. What type of backup do I really want to run?
> I'm a little confused wether I just run a database backup, and or if I
need
> to run a separate backup for log files, or ... ?
>
> Finally, If I need the databases in "full mode" any ideas on why this one
> database is switching to simple? I've checked all the sql jobs and can't
> find anything that is changing them.

Hum, I was under the assumption that doing a "full backup" my log files
would trunicate and take care of everything. Am I not understanding
something?

I have 12 databases (at least), though the database sizes are less than 10
gig apiece.

I would like to be able to restore either every hour or two in a disaster.
How would you do this if it was your network? I do have a NAS unit to do
disk backups to.


"Chris Knapp" wrote in message news:41daeaf7@ROSASTDMZ05....
> Not sure why it would switch from Full to simple recovery mode.
> Full recovery is only useful if you need to restore your database to a
> specific point in time. I have a db that we need snapshots taken every 2
> hours. This allows me to restore not only to restore to a specific day,
> but
> to within 2 hours of the problem. My DB is 90 GB but my transaction logs
> are
> only 2 GB. Its much quicker to take 12 x 2 GB transaction log backups
> throughout the day than it is to do 12 x 90 GB Full backups. In my case,
> my
> db MUST be in full recovery mode. Note however, that since this DB is in
> full mode, I MUST perform transaction log backups or they will never
> commit
> their transactions and purge themselves. If you are using BE only (and not
> sql enterprise manager's maintenance plans) a full backup job in BE is not
> enough, you must also schedule a transaction log backup (preferably at
> least
> 1 per day; preferably, just before your full backup.)
> I have another 60 GB db that is just archive data. I only do 1 backup a
> day
> on it. I keep this one in simple recovery mode. No need for a separate
> transaction log backup (in either BE or sql ent mgr)
>
> "Don B" wrote in message news:41da1511@ROSASTDMZ05....
>>
>> I thought I understood all of this, however the more I read, the more I'm
>> confused.
>>
>> I'm backing up a SQL server, with agent, using the "full backup" method.
>> This is all fine, though I have one database that keeps changing from
> "full
>> mode" to simple mode. So that brings up the first question. Do I want
>> the
>> sql DB's in simple or full?
>>
>> Now, I would like to do backups during the daytime to a NAS unit incase
> development
>> guys screw up the database. What type of backup do I really want to run?
>> I'm a little confused wether I just run a database backup, and or if I
> need
>> to run a separate backup for log files, or ... ?
>>
>> Finally, If I need the databases in "full mode" any ideas on why this
>> one
>> database is switching to simple? I've checked all the sql jobs and can't
>> find anything that is changing them.
>
>

At least in BE 9.x, a full SQL backup on a full recovery mode db will NOT
backup the transaction logs.

If it were me ;-) lol.
I really can't answer without knowing your specifics. Mind you, I'm no
backup expert. The below comments are my opinions taken from making (and
learning from) mistakes along the way.

There are a bunch of things you have to know first off:
1. Your "actual" network speed. conduct some tests to see how fast you can
backup/restore data across the LAN. Also test how fast your disk subsystems
are at reading & writing. Where are your bottle necks?
2. Your backup capacity: how much offline storage do you have access to at
any give time? (I have a 16 tape autoloader with 6.4TB (compressed)
capacity, so I can run a complete weeks worth of jobs before swapping
tapes.) We all know that having to switch tapes mid-job sucks; especially
over holiday weekends when you've have too many "libations."
3. Your Service Level Agreements [SLA] Basically, how much time you
"promised" the boss you would need to recover from their screwups.
Hopefully, you under-promised and can set yourself up to over-deliver.

Once you know your assets & liabilities, you can start to plan.
Backup-to-disk's biggest strength is its near-line capability: you don't
have to load any tapes (or worse, get them out of storage/offsite) If you
expect a need to recover within 20 minutes, then having your critical
backups on disk is the way to go.
Tape's biggest strengths are its low cost (compared to disk) and its
portability. Long term & relaxed SLA backups go to tape. For smaller
companies, everything goes to tape.

In your situation, you would need to setup your DB's in full recovery mode.
Then you setup 1 BE job to do a Full backup daily. Then, you create another
job to run a transaction log backup every 2 hours. You have to make sure
your jobs don't share tapes or get overwritten or anything else that will
screw up your ability to restore. This usually means having multiple media
sets, multiple tapes, and a good idea how BE will append/overwrite in your
setup. Your daily backup job can be setup to alternate tapes (in case it
goes bad during an overwrite.) and your hourly job can be set to append
(given enough tape space.) You can even setup a different job for each day
of the week if you have enough tapes and the ability/motivation to swap them
out. An autoloader really helps here. . .

Hopefully this gives you some ideas. . .

"Don Bentz" wrote in message news:41db0a08@ROSASTDMZ05....
> Hum, I was under the assumption that doing a "full backup" my log files
> would trunicate and take care of everything. Am I not understanding
> something?
>
> I have 12 databases (at least), though the database sizes are less than 10
> gig apiece.
>
> I would like to be able to restore either every hour or two in a disaster.
> How would you do this if it was your network? I do have a NAS unit to do
> disk backups to.
>
>
> "Chris Knapp" wrote in message
news:41daeaf7@ROSASTDMZ05....
> > Not sure why it would switch from Full to simple recovery mode.
> > Full recovery is only useful if you need to restore your database to a
> > specific point in time. I have a db that we need snapshots taken every 2
> > hours. This allows me to restore not only to restore to a specific day,
> > but
> > to within 2 hours of the problem. My DB is 90 GB but my transaction logs
> > are
> > only 2 GB. Its much quicker to take 12 x 2 GB transaction log backups
> > throughout the day than it is to do 12 x 90 GB Full backups. In my case,
> > my
> > db MUST be in full recovery mode. Note however, that since this DB is in
> > full mode, I MUST perform transaction log backups or they will never
> > commit
> > their transactions and purge themselves. If you are using BE only (and
not
> > sql enterprise manager's maintenance plans) a full backup job in BE is
not
> > enough, you must also schedule a transaction log backup (preferably at
> > least
> > 1 per day; preferably, just before your full backup.)
> > I have another 60 GB db that is just archive data. I only do 1 backup a
> > day
> > on it. I keep this one in simple recovery mode. No need for a separate
> > transaction log backup (in either BE or sql ent mgr)
> >
> > "Don B" wrote in message news:41da1511@ROSASTDMZ05....
> >>
> >> I thought I understood all of this, however the more I read, the more
I'm
> >> confused.
> >>
> >> I'm backing up a SQL server, with agent, using the "full backup"
method.
> >> This is all fine, though I have one database that keeps changing from
> > "full
> >> mode" to simple mode. So that brings up the first question. Do I want
> >> the
> >> sql DB's in simple or full?
> >>
> >> Now, I would like to do backups during the daytime to a NAS unit incase
> > development
> >> guys screw up the database. What type of backup do I really want to
run?
> >> I'm a little confused wether I just run a database backup, and or if I
> > need
> >> to run a separate backup for log files, or ... ?
> >>
> >> Finally, If I need the databases in "full mode" any ideas on why this
> >> one
> >> database is switching to simple? I've checked all the sql jobs and
can't
> >> find anything that is changing them.
> >
> >
>
>