Verify backup after the backup is completed

[rcamarda]

I have a database backup that our vendor proformed. I dont know if
they verified the backup, nor do I have the disk space to create a new
backup with verify or retore the current backup.

Is there a t-sql command that I can use to verify the database backup
after the fact?
SQL Server 2000 currenlty patched
The backup of the database is a 97GB file on the server in question.
TIA
Rob

[Erland Sommarskog]

Re: Verify backup after the backup is completed

rcamarda (robert.a.camar da@gmail.com) writes:

I have a database backup that our vendor proformed. I dont know if
they verified the backup, nor do I have the disk space to create a new
backup with verify or retore the current backup.
>
Is there a t-sql command that I can use to verify the database backup
after the fact?
SQL Server 2000 currenlty patched
The backup of the database is a 97GB file on the server in question.

The you need to see your local hardware vendor and get disk onto
which you can restore this backup. That's the only way you can verify
it properly. A 250 GB disk is dirt cheap these days. Since this is for
verification only, you can even do this with a USB disk.

There is a command RESTORE VERIFYONLY, but as Books Online says:

Verifies the backup but does not restore the backup. Checks to see that
the backup set is complete and that all volumes are readable. However,
RESTORE VERIFYONLY does not attempt to verify the structure of the data
contained in the backup volumes. If the backup is valid, Microsoft® SQL
Server™ 2000 returns the message: "The backup set is valid."

And unless this is a read-only database, you should probably take
backups yourself as well.




--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarsk og.se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx