SQL Backup to MTF Converter - new user interface available

HJoyce

If you use the sqb2mft.exe command line utility to convert SQL Backup files into native SQL Server (MTF) backup files, then you may be interested to know that there is now a user interface.

See SQL Backup to MTF Converter on the Red Gate Labs

fatherjack2

Hi,

does the sqb2mft.exe require SQL Backup to be installed to convert the sqb files or can i simply run this exe on my DR server and then use SSMS to restore the database if i have to handle an emergency?

thanks

HJoyce

Yes, you can run this without a license and without SQL Backup being installed.
Yes, you can use it to convert the backup file to the native SQL Server format so you can then restore it using SSMS.

fatherjack2

Thanks very much for that information. It means we can get on with recovery our databases without having to get tied up with SQL Backup installations and license transfers.

I have tried the exe and it has produced 3 .bak files for one .sqb file, is that because i used 3 threads in the backup job?

thanks again

:lol:

Brian Donahue

Hi,

I think so. SQL Server does not support multithreaded backups natively, it's a feature of SQL Backup. If you wanted to restore a multithreaded backup in SQL Server, you would need to specify all three files to the RESTORE command, for instance RESTORE DATABASE MyDb from disk='x.bak', disk='y.bak',disk='z.bak'...

fatherjack2

Brian,

i got the restore to work from the multiple .bak files without any issues, i was just wondering why i got 3 and guessed it might be linked to the thread count used on the SQL Backup.

thanks

petey

Just to clarify, when you perform a backup using the THREADCOUNT option, the backup is internally performed using 'multiple DISK options' as done for native SQL Server backups, but instead of writing the output to multiple files, SQL Backup consolidates the data and writes it out to a single file.

That is why when you converted the SQL Backup file to native format, 3 files were generated as what is what SQL Server requires in order to perform the restore.

Melba2010

SQL backup programs allow you to write mirrored files and it will place the copies in multiple locations. While it might seem redundant to save things in more than one place, you won't feel that way if disaster hits and it effects your backup copies. So you know, it is possible for backups to become damaged or some won't work when you need them the most. This is why it is helpful to save files and databases in a variety of places.

mySunSet

The SQL Server master database does not support log backups. Only full backups can be performed on the master database.