To take a back up of a particular SQL databases (e.g. Asset Manager and Dimensions) in SQL2005 and higher is to use SQL Management Studio. This is outside if taking a full server back up.
Backups can be either a one-off or scheduled. To do a one-off back up:
Note: This can be done in both SQL Express and full SQL.
Log into SQL Management Studio.
Navigate to the database to be backed up.
Right-click the database to be backed up, selecting Tasks\backup.
Select a destination for the file.
Select a name for the backup file.
Click Save to save the file to the computer.
In full SQL there is the option to set up a schedule to automatically run backups.
This can be found by going to the following:
Navigate to Management.
Click Maintenance Plans.
Click Add new plan.
Click Backup Database task.
Work through the window that appears.
Click Save.
There are a number of other useful tasks in the Maintenance Plan that should be investigated to help keep the databases running efficiently, please refer to the help in MS SQL Server for more details.
If the user is on SQL Express and requires scheduled backups additional software will be required such as Dimensions Administrator which can be installed from the Dimensions Installation Disc
If the system is running regular backups either manually or as scheduled jobs please ensure that regular housekeeping is carried out to ensure that the computers disc space doesn’t run out.