Error when attempting to back up SQL database to another server on network

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Error when attempting to back up SQL database to another server on network

Rodney Winterborne

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November 6, 2006 at 11:00 am

#121209

When trying to back up a SQL database (running on Windows Server 2003) to a hard disk on another server on the network, I receive the following error message:
Microsoft SQL-DMO (ODBC SQLState:42000) cannot open backup device "pathname" Device error or device offline. See the server error log for more details.
Can anyone assist on this?

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SQL ORACLE One Orange Chip Points: 27807 More actions · Answer 1

You need to map the drive on other server to your server.

Rodney Winterborne Valued Member Points: 56 More actions · Answer 2

I am trying to back it up to a network share on the other server. What will the mapping have to point to to do this?

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 3

Post the SQL command you are using to backup your database. It will help in debugging the error. Also, be sure that the user that SQL Server runs under has sufficient rights to right to the network share.

Rodney Winterborne Valued Member Points: 56 More actions · Answer 4

I am attempting to back up a SQL database through Enterprise Manager. In the tree, I right click on the database, choose All Tasks, then choose Backup Database. In that window, for my destination, I add to my destination set \\servername\sharename. When I execute is when I get the error. How can I get the database backed up to that share? The user has permission to the destination.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 5

What exactly are you entering in the destination, and how are you entering it?

Rodney Winterborne Valued Member Points: 56 More actions · Answer 6

The destination is a hidden share on another server. I am entering the destination as \\servername\sharename$.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 7

And what about the filename for the backup file? What is it?

Rodney Winterborne Valued Member Points: 56 More actions · Answer 8

Rodney Winterborne

Valued Member

Points: 56

November 6, 2006 at 1:22 pm

#670167

DEB backup

SQL ORACLE One Orange Chip Points: 27807 More actions · Answer 9

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms179313.aspx

Does it help?

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 10

Your destination should look something like this:

\\servername\sharename$\dbbackupfile.bak

If you have a space in the file name, you may also need to surround the entire destination string in double quotes. Personally, I don't like spaces in filenames.

Rodney Winterborne Valued Member Points: 56 More actions · Answer 11

Will that solution work with SQL 2000 server? That is what I am running.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 12

It should. However, I would recommend that you backup to a local drive and then copy the backup file to the network share and then if needed delte the local copy after a successful copy is completed. That way, it there is a network failure while copying the file to the network share, you just restart the copy, and the actual backup isn't affected.

SQL ORACLE One Orange Chip Points: 27807 More actions · Answer 13

It works for both 2000/2005. However, it is not recommended to have this kind of backup. There are two main reasons:

1. Lower speed, in general;

2. Less reliable, in general;