[This documentation is for preview only, and is subject to change in later releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]
You can help prevent the loss of data and productivity by backing up data for Visual Studio Team Foundation Server on a scheduled basis by using the tools that SQL Server provides. By regularly backing up the SQL Server databases that Team Foundation Server uses, you reduce the risk of losing productivity or data because of equipment failure or other unexpected events.
In addition to backing up the databases, you must also back up the encryption key if your deployment uses SQL Server Reporting Services. For more information, see Back Up the Reporting Services Encryption Key.
.gif) Caution |
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You can use SQL Server Management Studio to back up individual databases. However, you might experience unexpected results if you restore from such backups because the databases that Team Foundation Server uses are all related. If you back up only one database, the data in that database will be out of synchronization with the data in the other databases. For more information about strategies for backing up databases, see the following page on the Microsoft Web site: Introduction to Backup and Restore Strategies in SQL Server. |
You can use the following table to identify databases in your deployment of Team Foundation Server. Not all deployments have all these databases. For example, if you did not configure Team Foundation Server with Reporting Services, you will not have the ReportServer and ReportServerTempDB databases. In addition, the databases that Team Foundation Server uses might be distributed across more than one instance of SQL Server or across more than one server, depending on how you have installed and configured Team Foundation Server. For example, the databases for SharePoint Products might be hosted on a separate server from the databases for Team Foundation Server.
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The prefix TFS_ is added by default to any databases that are created automatically during Team Foundation Server installation or operation. |
Database | Description |
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TFS_Configuration | The configuration database for Team Foundation Server contains the catalog, the server names, and configuration data for the deployment. The name of this database might include additional characters between TFS_ and Configuration, such as the user name of the person who installed Team Foundation Server. For example, the name of the database might be TFS_UserNameConfiguration. |
TFS_Warehouse | The warehouse database contains the data for building the warehouse that Reporting Services uses. The name of this database might include additional characters between TFS_ and Warehouse, such as the user name of the person who installed Team Foundation Server. For example, the name of the database might be TFS_UserNameWarehouse. |
TFS_CollectionName | The database for a team project collection contains all the data for team projects in that collection. This data includes source code, build configurations, and lab management configurations. There will be an equal number of collection databases as there are collections. For example, if you have three collections in your deployment, you will have three collection databases. The name of each database might include additional characters between TFS_ and CollectionName, such as the user name of the person who created the collection. For example, the name of a collection database might be TFS_UserNameCollectionName. |
TFS_Analysis | The database for SQL Server Analysis Services contains the data sources and cubes for your deployment of Team Foundation Server. The name of this database might include additional characters between TFS_ and Analysis, such as the user name of the person who installed Analysis Services. For example, the name of the database might be TFS_UserNameAnalysis. Note You can back up this database, but you must rebuild the warehouse from the restored TFS_Warehouse database. |
ReportServer | The database for Reporting Services contains the reports and report settings for your deployment of Team Foundation Server. Note If Reporting Services is installed on a separate server from Team Foundation Server, this database might not be present on the data-tier server for Team Foundation. In that case, you must configure, back up, and restore it separately from Team Foundation Server. However, you should synchronize the maintenance of the databases to avoid synchronization errors. |
ReportServerTempDB | The temporary database for Reporting Services temporarily stores information when you run specific reports. Note If Reporting Services is installed on a separate server from Team Foundation Server, this database might not be present on the data-tier server for Team Foundation. In that case, you must configure, back up, and restore it separately from Team Foundation Server. However, you should synchronize the maintenance of the databases to avoid synchronization errors. |
WSS_Config | The configuration database for SharePoint Products contains a listing of all sites such as content databases, site templates, custom Web parts, and other settings from SharePoint Central Administration. Note If SharePoint Products is installed on a separate server from Team Foundation Server, this database might not be present on the data-tier server for Team Foundation. In that case, you must configure, back up, and restore it separately from Team Foundation Server. However, you should synchronize the maintenance of the databases to avoid synchronization errors. |
WSS_Content | The content database for SharePoint Products contains the actual content in team project portals. Note The name of this database will vary based on the version of SharePoint Products that is installed and whether the person who installed it customized the name. Additionally, if SharePoint Products is installed on a separate server from Team Foundation Server, this database might not be present on the data-tier server for Team Foundation. In that case, you must configure, back up, and restore it separately from Team Foundation Server. However, you should synchronize the maintenance of the databases to avoid synchronization errors. |
WSS_AdminContent | The administration database for SharePoint Products contains the security information for users, roles, and databases. Note If SharePoint Products is installed on a separate server from Team Foundation Server, this database might not be present on the data-tier server for Team Foundation. In that case, you must configure, back up, and restore it separately from Team Foundation Server. However, you should synchronize the maintenance of the databases to avoid synchronization errors. |
The procedure in this topic explains how to create maintenance plans that perform either a full or an incremental backup of the databases. If you want to perform both types of backups, complete the steps two times: one time for the full backup and one time for the incremental backup. For more information, see the following page on the Microsoft Web site: Creating Transaction Log Backups.
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For maximum data protection, schedule full backups to run daily or weekly, and schedule incremental backups to run hourly. |
The following procedure assumes that you want to back up not only the databases that are specific to Team Foundation but also all the databases that your deployment of Team Foundation Server uses, such as databases for SharePoint Products. For information about how to manually back up and restore individual databases, see the following page on the Microsoft Web site: Backing Up and Restoring Databases in SQL Server.
| Important |
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To prevent accidental corruption of data, you must synchronize all backups of databases that Team Foundation Server uses, which include databases for SQL Server and SharePoint Products, to the same time stamp. |
Required Permissions
To perform this procedure, you must be a member of both of the following groups:
the Administrators security group on the server that is running the administration console for Team Foundation
the SQL Server System Administrator security group or your SQL Server Perform Back Up and Create Maintenance Plan permissions must be set to Allow on each instance of SQL Server that is hosting the databases that you want to back up
To create a maintenance plan in SQL Server 2008
On the server that is running the instance of SQL Server that contains the databases you want to back up, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server 2008, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.
In the Server type list, click Database Engine.
In the Server name and Authentication lists, click the appropriate server and authentication scheme.
If your instance of SQL Server requires it, in User name and Password, type the credentials of an appropriate account.
Click Connect.
In SQL Server Management Studio, expand the Management node, right-click Maintenance Plans, and then click Maintenance Plan Wizard.
On the SQL Server Maintenance Plan Wizard welcome page, click Next.
On the Select Plan Properties page, in the Name box, type a name for the maintenance plan.
For example, you could name a full backup TfsFullDataBackup or an incremental backup TfsIncrementalDataBackup.
Click Single schedule for the entire plan or no schedule, and then click Change.
Under Frequency and Daily Frequency, specify options for your backup plan.
Under Duration, leave the default value, No end date.
Click OK, and then click Next.
On the Select Maintenance Tasks page, click the maintenance task that you want to run, and then click Next.
To complete a full backup, click Back Up Database (Full).
To complete an incremental backup, click Back Up Database (Transaction Log).
On the Select Maintenance Task Order page, click Next.
For more information about the options in this dialog box, press F1. Also, see SQL Server Books Online, and search for the Maintenance Plan Wizard.
On the Define Back Up Database Task page, click the down arrow, click All Databases, and then click OK. Specify the backup options for saving the files to disk or tape, as appropriate to your deployment and resources, and then click Next.
On the Select Report Options page, specify report distribution options, click Next, and then click Finish.
SQL Server creates the maintenance plan and backs up the databases that you specified based on the frequency that you specified.
Click Close.
Tasks
Other Resources