eng_mgomaa (8/11/2010)

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Copy-only backups are new to SQL Server 2005. They allow a backup of any type to be

taken without affecting any other backups. Normally, a database backup is recorded in the

database itself and is identified as part of a chain that can be used for restore. For

example, if a full database backup is taken, any subsequent differential database backups

use this full database backup as their base. A restore process utilizing the differential database

backups would have a reference to the full database backup, and that backup would

have to be available.

Copy-only backups do not affect the restore chain. They are useful in situations in which

you simply want to get a copy of the database for testing purposes or things of this

nature. Copy-only backups are not supported via SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

and must be performed via the Transact-SQL (T-SQL) BACKUP command.