Tape
Although backing up directly to tape is common, I seldom encounter situations where
a T-SQL job is written explicitly for this purpose. Usually third-party backup software
agents handle this type of backup. If you do intend to back up directly to a tape device,
you have a number of options to choose from that only apply to tape-based backups,
including REWIND|NOREWIND and NOUNLOAD|UNLOAD.
One potential problem when backing up directly to tape is the speed. The longer
a process takes to complete, the more opportunities it has to fail. Actually, creating the
backup file on the tape takes longer than simply copying a file to tape. If drive space is
available, it may be better to back up to disk first, then back up the disk file to tape. For
larger databases, this may not be an option.
CHAPTER 2 n MAKING DATABASE BACKUPS 23
nTip Most third-party backup agents do nothing more than send T-SQL commands directly to the database.
If your environment requires you to back up directly to tape or has a large number of databases to
back up, then third-party agents are worth the additional cost.
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