--- title: "Back Up Database (General Page) | Microsoft Docs" ms.custom: "" ms.date: "07/01/2016" ms.prod: sql ms.prod_service: backup-restore ms.reviewer: "" ms.technology: backup-restore ms.topic: conceptual f1_keywords: - "sql13.swb.backupdatabase.general.f1" ms.assetid: 5c344dfd-1ad3-41cc-98cd-732973b4a162 author: MikeRayMSFT ms.author: mikeray --- # Back Up Database (General Page) [!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)] Use the **General** page of the **Back Up Database** dialog box to view or modify settings for a database back up operation. For more information about basic backup concepts, see [Backup Overview (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/backup-overview-sql-server.md). > [!NOTE] > When you specify a backup task by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)], you can generate the corresponding [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)] [BACKUP](../../t-sql/statements/backup-transact-sql.md) script by clicking the **Script** button and then selecting a destination for the script. **To use SQL Server Management Studio to create a backup** - [Create a Full Database Backup (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/create-a-full-database-backup-sql-server.md) - [Create a Differential Database Backup (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/create-a-differential-database-backup-sql-server.md) > [!IMPORTANT] > You can define a database maintenance plan to create database backups. For more information, see [Database Maintenance Plans](../maintenance-plans/maintenance-plans.md) in [!INCLUDE[ssKilimanjaro](../../includes/sskilimanjaro-md.md)] Books Online. **To create a partial backup** - For a partial backup, you must use the [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)] [BACKUP](../../t-sql/statements/backup-transact-sql.md) statement with the PARTIAL option. ## Options ### Source The options of the **Source** panel identify the database and specify the backup type and component for the back up operation. **Database** Select the database to back up. **Recovery model** View the recovery model (SIMPLE, FULL, or BULK_LOGGED) displayed for the selected database. **Backup type** Select the type of backup you want to perform on the specified database. |Backup type|Available for|Restrictions| |-----------------|-------------------|------------------| |Full|Databases, files, and filegroups|On the **master** database, only full backups are possible.

Under the Simple Recovery Model, file and filegroup backups are available only for read-only filegroups.| |Differential|Databases, files, and filegroups|Under the Simple Recovery Model, file and filegroup backups are available only for read-only filegroups.| |Transaction Log|Transaction logs|Transaction log backups are not available for the Simple Recovery Model.| **Copy Only Backup** Select to create a copy-only backup. A *copy-only backup* is a [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] backup that is independent of the sequence of conventional [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] backups. For more information, see [Copy-Only Backups (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/copy-only-backups-sql-server.md). > [!NOTE] > When the **Differential** option is selected, you cannot create a copy-only backup. **Backup component** Select the database component to be backed up. If **Transaction Log** is selected in the **Backup type** list, this option is not activated. Select one of the following option buttons: ||| |-|-| |**Database**|Specifies that the entire database be backed up.| |**Files and filegroups**|Specifies that the specified files and/or filegroups be backed up.

Selecting this option, opens the **Select Files and Filegroups** dialog box. After you select the filegroups or files you want to back up and click **Ok**, your selections appear in the **Filegroups and files** box.| ### Destination The options of the **Destination** panel allow for you to specify the type of backup device for the back up operation and find an existing logical or physical backup device. > [!NOTE] > For information about [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] backup devices, see [Backup Devices (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/backup-devices-sql-server.md). **Back up to** Select one of the following types of media to which to back up. The destinations you select appear in the **Back up to** list. ||| |-|-| |**Disk**|Backs up to disk. This may be a system file or a disk-based logical backup device created for the database. The currently selected disks appear in the **Back up to** list. You can select up to 64 disk devices for your backup operation.| |**Tape**|Backs up to tape. This may be a local tape drive or a tape-based logical backup device created for the database. The currently selected tapes appear in the **Back up to** list. The maximum number is 64. If there are no tape devices attached to the server, this option is deactivated. The tapes you select are listed in the **Back up to** list.

Note: Support for tape backup devices will be removed in a future version of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature.| |**URL**|Backs up to Microsoft Azure Blob storage.| The next set of options displayed depends on the type of destination selected. If you select Disk or Tape, the following options are displayed. **Add** Adds a file or device to the **Back up to** list. You can back up to 64 devices simultaneously on a local disk or remote disk. To specify a file on a remote disk, use the fully qualified universal naming convention (UNC) name. For more information, see [Backup Devices (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/backup-devices-sql-server.md). **Remove** Removes one or more currently selected devices from the **Back up to** list. **Contents** Displays the media contents for the selected device if it exists. The button does not perform a function when a **URL** is specified. **Select Backup Destination** dialog box The **Select Backup Destination** dialog box appears after you select **Add**. The set of options displayed depends on the type of destination selected. If you selected **Disk** or **Tape** as the backup destination, the following option is displayed. * **File Name** Specify the name of the backup file. If you selected **URL** as the backup destination, the following options are displayed: * **Azure storage container** The name of the Microsoft Azure storage container to store the backup files. * **Shared Access Policy:** Enter the shared access signature for a manually entered container. This field is not available if an existing container was chosen. * **Backup File:** Name of the backup file. * **New Container:** Used to register an existing container that you do not have a shared access signature for. See [Connect to a Microsoft Azure Subscription](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/connect-to-a-microsoft-azure-subscription.md). ## See Also [Back Up a Transaction Log (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/back-up-a-transaction-log-sql-server.md) [Back Up Files and Filegroups (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/back-up-files-and-filegroups-sql-server.md) [Define a Logical Backup Device for a Disk File (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/define-a-logical-backup-device-for-a-disk-file-sql-server.md) [Define a Logical Backup Device for a Tape Drive (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/define-a-logical-backup-device-for-a-tape-drive-sql-server.md) [Recovery Models (SQL Server)](../../relational-databases/backup-restore/recovery-models-sql-server.md)