How many days worth of database backups should I keep before deleting? 1 week, 1 month, 1 year? They are large and take up lots of space, but I don't want to delete any if I might need them.
- posted
14 years ago
How many days worth of database backups should I keep before deleting? 1 week, 1 month, 1 year? They are large and take up lots of space, but I don't want to delete any if I might need them.
I don't see any purpose of keeping multiples of your database backup, unless you have been doing it with a purpose, because each of your backups contain the same data, except the newer backups contain more. For example, if your computer dies or whatnot, you wouldn't want to restore an old database, you would want to restore your newest backup so you lose less data. Did you have a reason for keeping multiple old backups?
Unless some> How many days worth of database backups should I keep before deleting? 1
We keep one backup per day and start over again every week. Plus we keep a monthly backup and a yearly backup for reporting purposes.
Craig
If you discover a corruption problem and don't discover it for more than 1 day you would not have a clean backup if you only keep one. We follow a schedule like Craig suggests, a backup for each day of the week.
Marc
and yearly option for reports, I am going to start doing that as well. I appreciate your quick responses.
There are other kinds of issues that would not be caught. Let's say I run a brilliant new query and don't realize it screwed up lots of data for 2 days. The db would still be technically 'good'. Along similar lines, suppose you back up before you realize a virus got to your data. The backup may be good, but the data it contains is not. Fortunately I have never needed anything other than my last backup for RMS, but have had to go back a few days before with accounting software.
Marc
BeanSmart website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.