How to Tackle Backup Failure in SQL Server?

Causes of Backup Failure

What happen if user looses SQL Server Database backup? Well! Sometimes it leads to breakdown of business. Backup plays an important part in an organization as it can protect you from any kind of data loss due to database corruption or unnecessary changes. In this article, we will discuss the different reasons for backup failure in SQL server.

Drive Space

Scenario:

“I m planning for SQL database backup but when trying to go ahead. System is showing “Insufficient disk space for backup” or some similar message” what I can do for further processing?

If the user’s system drive runs out of space then it becomes difficult to backup SQL database and cause the failure of SQL server database. It’s extremely common error as the backup needs more space.

Prevention:

In order to get rid of the error “Insufficient disk space for backup”, user can monitor their drive space and also needs to monitor the size of database. User must ensure the backup cleanup process should take place timely.

Transaction Log File Is Full

Scenario:

“I am getting an error 9002 while taking backup from transaction log file. Please suggest some solution”

Prevention: Whenever the transaction log becomes full, SQL Server pop-ups error 9002. The transaction log can fill when the database is online, or in recovery. It may also resist user to take backup from transaction log file. In that case, user can perform any required action to make log space available. To prevent this error, user needs to make disk space free by deleting or moving the files and by moving the files to different disk.

Backing Up Across The Network

Scenario:

“I have backed up my SQL database across the network, while restoring the data it’s showing time out error. How I can resolve this issue?”

Prevention: Backing up to local device or disk is much faster than backing up the data across the network. User may prefer storing backup across network as it take low infrastructure cost as compare to physical storage devices. However, to get rid of time out errors, users must store their backup in local devices.

Differential Backup

Scenario:

“I have been running a differential backup on my SQL server. While restoring the database from the backup, it is showing error: The log or differential backup cannot be restored because no files are ready to roll forward”.

The differential backups work only works along with full backup. In order to prevent such situation user must take full backups and while restoring, user must process it in combination with differential backups.

Other Reasons For Backup Failure in SQL Server

• Switching the recovery model
• Restoring the database in wrong server
• Failure in the hardware having the backup
• Abrupt shut down while restoring the backup
• Virus intrusion
• Software issues
• Power failure

Conclusion:

There are number of factors that may cause failure of SQL server backup file. In order to prevent backup from failures, user must have the information about the factors that cause backup failure and must take proper steps to prevent backup from these issues.