Using Db Maint, Working with…

Tasks

The Task Settings dialog is used to create new tasks and modify existing tasks. To get a description for each parameter, position the mouse pointer over the option and a ToolTip will be displayed.

General tab

Task name

This is read-only for an existing task. An existing task can only be renamed in the main window.

For a new task, enter the task name here.

Id

This is the Db Maint task id. This is useful if you want to schedule this task with a 3:rd party scheduler. See More about scheduling.

Enabled

Make sure that this is not selected if you schedule the task with a 3:rd party scheduler.

Disconnects users

A KILL command will be issued for all connections in each database that the task affects.

Preprocessing and postprocessing

You can execute a number TSQL commands before the jobs are processed. They will be executed using OSQL, from the master database.

Available jobs and Included jobs

Move the jobs you want to include from the Available jobs list to the Included jobs list. Select the up/down arrows to arrange which order the jobs are to be processed in. A recommendation is to have the job that includes the msdb database as the last job. This is because the backup history is stored in msdb.

Disk

Select this if you want to backup to disk. A new backup file is generated for each backup, and a backup device will be created making it easier to find the backup files. The format of the filename and backup device name is: “dbname_yyyymmdd_hhmm_type”, where “type” is “dbas”, “diff” or “tlog”. For instance “Northwind_20021215_0215_dbas”. A backup will only be performed if specified in the job definition (for each backup type) and scheduled in the Schedule tab for the task.

Copy of backup files

Db Maint can copy the backup file to some location after the backup is performed. This can be an UNC path onto another machine, for added safety. The copy is only performed if specified in the job definition. This allows you to have several jobs (different databases) allowing you to select which databases the copy is performed for.

Archiving backup files

You can also create an archive copy of the backup file. Specify in the job definition when this is to be performed (first day every month, first day every quarter, first day every half-year or first day every year). The archive is only performed for database backups, so make sure you scheduled database backup every day if you want to use this feature. Archive files are not deleted automatically. An example of an archive filename and backup device name is: “Northwind_20021215_save_dbas”.

Compressing the files

Select this option if you want to compress the different type of backup files. Db Maint does not have built-in compression. Instead, you configure in Server properties the command to be executed to create the compressed file. If the destination filename exists after executing this command, the original file is deleted. You can compress either of the backup files (only the copy files, for instance).

Share name for log shipping

Enter the share name used for log shipping. You configure in the job definition if log shipping is to be used. The share name is in the format \\servername\sharename. The share needs to point to the original backup file location. The SQL Server service account on the destination server need read permission on this share.

Tape

Select this is you want tape as backup destination

Schedule tab

Here you specify when each of the operations is to be performed. Note that the operation will only be performed if configured (in the job dialog, server properties etc). If you position the mouse pointer over an operation, a ToolTip is displayed which tell you where to configure that operation.

Base execution time

For daily schedules: This is the time of day the operation is performed.

For hourly schedules: The minute part specified what minute of the hour the operation is performed.

For minutely schedules: The last digit specifies when the operation is performed.

Scheduling the operations

For each operation, first select which schedule the operation is to be performed (none, day, hour or minute). Then mark the operation so it is selected (background color is blue) and use the up/down buttons to define the sequence for the operations.

If you select none, then the operation is moved below the black line and you can’t select sequence (as it will not be executed). Selecting something else than none will move the operation above the line and allow you to use the up/down buttons.

Note that you can only define the sequence within each frame (job and task, post-job).

Log tab

Specify whether Db Maint is to write messages from the execution to the various log destinations. “Server” and “Printer” are only enabled if configured in the Server properties dialog (which you can open from here by pressing the “<- Change” button).

Email logging

Select which operators to be notified. For each operator, you can configure a number of attributes. Position the mouse-pointer over each option to see a description. The main purpose of the email is to show in the subject whether the execution was success of failure and also include each logged message from the execution.

Email subject

You can in the right part of the dialog customize which information to be included in the subject and the relative order in the subject.

You can even define your own SQL query used to create the subject (select “Show advanced options”). Db Maint will include data from messages, error messages and, of course, resultsets; but only up to 255 characters.

Email message

You can configure the SQL query used to retrieve these messages, check “Show advanced options”.