Backup backend safely (2000, 2003)

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Hi all,

What methods can be used to backup a backend database which is in use?
Can I just copy the data.mdb file safely?

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I’ve found that you can usually copy a database that is in use without problems in Windows Explorer, but you have to be careful: if data are being written to the database while you copy it, the copy may be corrupt.

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Hmm. In this case ending up with a “valid” copy is important;

We want to have a fall-back database on a different server to go to when the production server dies on us.

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What about a scheduled task to backup the database at intervals? You could also program the database to copy the backend, say, as soon as it’s opened?

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Sure, but I want to know what a secure method is to do the actual copying. I’ve read that copying a database file which is being used may cause the copy to be corrupt. That is something I need to avoid.

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Hmm…well, without kicking all the users off and then manually doing the backup, the next thing I could think of would be (with the scheduled task) using a BATch file to see if a database lockfile exists, and if one doesn’t exist in the backend’s directory, then executing the copy command.

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Thanks. Typically my users would be “in” all day long.

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