Milestone XProtect Transact - Manual (Page 54)

Milestone XProtect
®
Transact
Administrator's Guide
www.milestonesys.com 54 Back up and restore the Transact
Database
Back up and restore the Transact Database
Back up
The Transact Server stores data in a database. You can choose to store the database in two different
ways:

Network SQL Server: Lets you store XProtect Transact data in a database on an existing
SQL Server on your network. XProtect Transact points to the database location on the SQL
Server.

SQL Server Express Edition: Lets you store XProtect Transact data in a SQL Server
Express Edition database on the XProtect Transact Server itself.
Milestone always recommends that you back up your XProtect Transact database: having a backup
gives you the ability to restore your XProtect Transact data in a disaster recovery scenario. Backing up
also has the added benefit that it flushes the SQL Server’s transaction log.
About the SQL Server transaction log
Each time a change in the XProtect Transact data occurs, the SQL Server will log the change in its
transaction log
—regardless whether it is a SQL Server on your network or a SQL Server Express
edition. The transaction log is essentially a security feature that makes it possible to roll back and undo
changes to the SQL Server database. The SQL Server by default stores its transaction log indefinitely,
and therefore the transaction log will over
time add more and more entries. The SQL Server’s
transaction log is by default located on the system drive, and if the transaction log just grows and
grows, it may in the end prevent Windows from running properly.
Flushing the SQL Server’s transaction log from time to time is a good idea. Flushing it does not in itself
make the transaction log file smaller, but it prevents it from growing out of control. XProtect Transact
does not, however, automatically flush the SQL Server’s transaction log at specific intervals.
You can do several things on the SQL Server itself to keep the size of the transaction log down,
including truncating and/or shrinking the transaction log (for numerous articles on this topic, go to
support.microsoft.com and search for SQL Server transaction log). However, backing up the
XProtect Transact database is generally a better option since it flushes the SQL Server’s transaction
log and gives you the security of being able to restore your XProtect Transact data in case something
unexpected happens.
Prerequisites
You need:
Microsoft
® SQL Server Management Studio Express, a tool that can be downloaded for free from
the Microsoft download website. Among its many features for managing SQL Server databases are
some easy-to-use backup and restoration features. Download and install the tool on your existing
Management Server. Other backup tools than SQL Server Management Studio Express will also work,
but this guide describes the use of SQL Server Management Studio Express.