Is a backup system necessary when server is backed up daily? (1 Viewer)

[RCurtin]

Hi everyone,
Do I need to have a backup system with my database for the backend? The backend is stored on a server that is backed up everyday and tapes are kept for a week. There will be 2 maybe 3 main users writing to the database.
Thanks,
RCurtin.

 

[1eye1vision]

As long as you can guarantee that these tapes will have all the information your require so that if the backend becomes corrupt or the server fails then no. however it may be best to have a failsafe.
My BE also resides on a server of which is backed up everyday, but i still placed a backup facility on my db just in case.

Regards
1E1V

 

[___]

I Always backup my databases, backend and frontend, regardless of them being backed up on the server. If the server fell over, I could easily run my db's from a single pc, which would be of no use if the data was out of date

 

[RCurtin]

Thanks for the prompt replies. I will back them up in that case. I found information about this a utility called the access Workbench:
http://www.everythingaccess.com/accessworkbench.htm
More info here: http://www.vb123.com/workbench/help/backup.htm

Apparently you can schedule backups with it and have it automatically compact the database. Has anyone used it?

Would I need to make regular backups of the front end though? I have installed the front end on each users local drive. This file shouldn't change except if the users add their own queries or reports. I have set this file to compact on close. Is it possible to get it to repair on close or is that necessary for a front end?

Thanks,
RCurtin.

 

[___]

Thanks for the prompt replies. I will back them up in that case. I found information about this a utility called the access Workbench:
http://www.everythingaccess.com/accessworkbench.htm
More info here: http://www.vb123.com/workbench/help/backup.htm
Apparently you can schedule backups with it and have it automatically compact the database. Has anyone used it?

Sorry, I've had no experience with accessworkbench

Would I need to make regular backups of the front end though? I have installed the front end on each users local drive. This file shouldn't change except if the users add their own queries or reports.

Do they have access to build their own queries/reports?

I have set this file to compact on close.

As you are linking to the backend tables, the database will only compact when the last person closes their db, and you'll probably end up with a large ammount of temp db's on each users pc.

A way round this would be to create a form in the backend db with a timer event to close it. Set the backend to compact on close, and schedule it to open, say at midnight, when nobody's there.

 

[RCurtin]

I have 2 main user groups - one is document control and the other is managers.

There will only ever be 4 or 5 users at most in document control. And yes they do have the necessary permissions to create reports and queries. Originally they didn't as I had given them an mde file but then the main user needed to create reports which she is able to do so I installed the mdb instead.

As regards the managers group - a fresh copy of the BE is copied to their local drive when they open the DB. They don't need to write to the DB - just use it to filter and search records so working from the local drive made this faster.

I did read somewhere that giving an mde file would lessen the chances of corruption though?? I would like to leave them the ability to create their own reports though..

Do you think that compact on close is sufficient given the small number of users? And will this repair any possible problems?

 

[___]

I believe compact on close would be sufficient

 

[RCurtin]

Thank you. I appreciate your time.