Network drive is not available for database backup in sqlexpress 2008

Question

Hello --

We are running SQLExpress 2008 on a Windows 7 64-bit system, and I need to do backups of the databases. I have mapped a network drive to a Samba server, and I have tested that it is writeable via a simple create text file within the operating system.

When I go through the motions of setting up the backup job, I notice the network drive is not available as an option even after I restarted the SQLExpress service. Is this by design?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello,

You can try a UNC path.

BACKUP DATABASE DatabaseName TO DISK='\\ServerName\DatabaseName.bak'

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Alberto Morillo
SQLCoffee.com

Answer 2

• You need to map network drive by CMD, I do not know but SQL is not able to find network map drive created by GUI  (net use X: \\ServerName\Folder)
• Provide access(read\write) permissions to SQL server serviec account

But you will face issue after system reboot or service restart.

I will suggest to plan it follwoing manner :

• Give permissions to SQL server services account
• In first step of backup job create network map drive by XP_CMDSHELL
• In second step complete your backup
• In third step close network map drive

As mention by Alberto, You can use network drive as UNC path as well.

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