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timmyms290
Starting Member
3 Posts |
 Posted - 2009-09-08 : 10:34:40
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| Hey mssql experts, first post here :)I mainly focus on data warehousing development, and a customer has sent us a backup of their MSSQL SP3 2005 64-bit data warehouse (100GB) for us to perform some testing on. So we finally get the backup file (physically delivered on a 250GB portable drive) and I go to restore it on my system. I ended up getting the 'not a valid Microsoft Tape Format' error so I went through mgmt studio to take a look at the backup point. It is showing up as ***INCOMPLETE*** so I know this is a huge issue; most likely will not be able to restore with this backup file.After some research I found that running checkdb seems to be a must (which these DBAs I'm supporting forgot to do?) before creating a backup file as a single point of in-validity can corrupt the entire file. So I know that I'll be asking them to send me a report of their checkdb before I accept a new backup file.Is there anything else that I should ask them to perform before asking for a new backup file? It took 3 weeks and an ocean to get this corrupted one :), don't want to waste any more time. I was thinking of telling them to run a restore verifyonly on the backup file after they make it; does it matter if the verifyonly is run on the same box, should it be another machine?Any other tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks!TimS |
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Michael Valentine Jones
Yak DBA Kernel (pronounced Colonel)
7020 Posts |
Posted - 2009-09-08 : 11:47:37
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| Have them run a full restore to another database to verify it is OK. That is the only sure way to verify that you can restore from it.CODO ERGO SUM |
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timmyms290
Starting Member
3 Posts |
Posted - 2009-09-08 : 13:59:36
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| Ok, thanks Mike. |
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Backup question from the new guy