SQL Server provides some excellent resources for managing and scheduling backupsand Powershell is one of them.

If you have SQL Server installed on your machine then you likely already have this.

If not, open up a Powershell window and use the following command to install it.

Using the Backup-SqlDatabase cmdlet you will specify the Server Instance and Database Name as shown below.

Backup-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance RIPLEY -Database JWdev -BackupAction Log.

With that said, Im not suggesting you replace your existing backup procedures with Powershell.

The point Im trying to make here is that Powershell is quite often a faster and easier approach than T-SQL.

Get-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance RIPLEY Where.Name -ne tempdb Backup-SqlDatabase.

Reviewing the above command youll notice the segment of code Where.Name -ne tempdb.

This signifies to ignore the tempdb database as backup and restore options are not allowed on tempdb.

Using Out-GridView along with -PassThru allows you to modify the command from a GUI and pass those changes back to the original Powershell command.

Get-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance RIPLEY Out-GridView -PassThru Backup-SqlDatabase.

Thats just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to utilizing Out-GridView and -PassThru.

Its not just for database backups This feature can be used in a variety of ways for listing and selecting OS services, Active Directory accounts Database Tablesetc.

Its certainly the easiest and fastest way to fine tune a command on the fly.

I would highly recommend experimenting with it and getting familiar with all the ways to use it.

Sql Server Backup Database