How to: Back Up a Team Foundation Server

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Use this procedure to back up Team Foundation Server data on the data tier. Before you start backing up your Team Foundation application-tier server, back up the Reporting Services Encryption key. For more information, see How to: Back Up the Reporting Services Encryption Key.

Warning

Although SQL Server Management Studio lets you back up individual databases at a time, restoring from such back ups can cause unexpected results because the databases are related and you risk restoring outdated versions. For more information about strategies for backing up databases, see Choosing the Recovery Model for a Database.

Note

This topic directs you to perform actions on the Team Foundation data-tier server. In dual-server deployments, this is a different physical computer than the Team Foundation data-tier server. In single-server deployments, both the logical application-tier and the logical data-tier are located on the same physical computer.

Use the following table to identify Team Foundation Server databases in your organization's installation of SQL Server 2005.

Database Description

ReportServer

The Reporting Services database contains the reports and report settings for Reporting Services.

ReportServerTempDB

The Reporting Services temporary database is used for temporarily storing information that is used when you run specific reports for Reporting Services.

STS_Config_TFS

The SharePoint configuration database contains a listing of all sites including content databases, site templates, custom Web parts, and other settings from SharePoint Central Administration.

STS_Content_TFS

The SharePoint content database contains the content for the team's SharePoint site.

TfsBuild

The build database contains Team Foundation Build data and published test results.

TfsIntegration

The registration database contains Projects, Areas, Iterations, and other registration data.

TfsVersionControl

The Team Foundation source control database.

TFSWarehouse

The Analysis Services database contains the data for building the warehouse used by the Reporting Services.

Note

The database can be backed up, however the warehouse is not backed up as the warehouse must be rebuilt from the restored TFSWarehouse database.

TfsWorkItemTracking

The Team Foundation work item tracking database.

TfsWorkItemTrackingAttachments

The Team Foundation work item tracking attachments database.

TfsActivityLogging

The history database contains a log of all Team Foundation Server Web service requests.

Note

This database is not required for Team Foundation Server operation and back up is optional.

This procedure explains how to create maintenance plans that perform either a full or an incremental backup. If you want to perform both types of back-ups, complete the steps two times; one time for the full backup, and one time for the incremental backup. For more information, see Creating Transaction Log Backups.

Note

For maximum data protection, schedule the full backup differently from the incremental backups.

The following procedure assumes that you want to schedule backups by using a maintenance plan for all the Team Foundation Server databases. For more information about how to perform backup and restore manually or for individual databases, see "Getting Started with Backup and Restore" in the SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

Required Permissions

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators security group on the Team Foundation data-tier server and you must be either a member of the SQL Server System Administrator security group on the Team Foundation data-tier server or have the SQL Server Perform Back Up and Create Maintenance Plan permissions set to Allow. For more information, see Team Foundation Server Permissions.

Make sure that you store your backups in a secure location. You should not store your backup files on the same server that you just backed up.

To create a maintenance plan

  1. On the Team Foundation data-tier server, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.

  2. Connect to the server for the data tier by selecting Database Engine in the Server type box and then selecting the correct Server name and Authentication scheme for the server. If it is required by your SQL Server, provide a valid User name and Password, and then click Connect.

  3. In SQL Server Management Studio, expand the Management node, right-click Maintenance Plans, and then select Maintenance Plan Wizard.

  4. On the Maintenance Plan Wizard welcome page, click Next.

  5. In the Name box on the Select a Target Server page, type a name for the maintenance plan.

    • For example, you could name a full backup TfsFullDataBackup.

    • For example, you could name an incremental backup TfsIncrementalDataBackup.

  6. Select the correct Server name and Authentication scheme for your SQL Server. If it is required by your SQL Server, provide a User name and Password and then click Next.

  7. On the Select Maintenance Tasks page, select the maintenance task you want to run, and then click Next.

    • To complete a full backup, select Back Up Database (Full).

    • For an incremental backup, select Back Up Database (Transaction Log).

  8. On the Select Maintenance Task Order page, click Next.

    For more information about the options on this dialog box, press F1 for help that is specific to the dialog box. Also, see the SQL Server 2005 Books Online and search for the Maintenance Plan Wizard.

    Note

    Store the backup files on another secure computer.

  9. On the Define Back Up Database Task page, click the down arrow, select All Databases, click OK, and then click Next.

  10. On the Select Plan Properties page, click Change.

  11. In the New Job Schedule dialog box, type a Name for the back up job.

    For example, you could name a full backup ScheduledFullBackup as the name. Or, you could name an incremental backup ScheduledIncrementalBackup.

    Note

    Leave the Schedule type as Recurring and leave the Enabled check box selected.

  12. Set the desired Frequency and Daily Frequency options for your back up plan, but leave the Duration set to No end date. Click OK and then Next.

    Note

    Typically, the start times for full and incremental backups are staggered from each other.

  13. On the Select Report Options page, select the desired report distribution options, and then click Next.

  14. Click Finish to complete creating the maintenance plan.

    SQL Server backs up the databases specified in the maintenance plan according to the frequency you specified.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Back Up the Reporting Services Encryption Key

Concepts

How to: Restore Team Foundation Server Data

Other Resources

Choosing the Recovery Model for a Database
Managing Data
Managing Team Foundation Server Data-Tier Servers
Managing Team Foundation Server