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Select Backup Destination

Use the Select Backup Destination dialog box to select a device as your backup destination. A backup destination can be either a disk or a logical backup device.

To use SQL Server Management Studio to back up a database

Options

The options of this dialog box depend on whether you are selecting a destination on disk or on tape.

  • Destination on disk
    To specify a backup destination, choose one of the following options.

    File name

    Choose this option to enter a local or remote file as the backup destination in the text box.

    • To specify a local file, click the browse button to the right of the text box and navigate to a file on the fixed drives of the computer running the server, or enter the full path and file name directly; for example, C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Backup\AdventureWorksBackup.bak.

    • To specify a remote file as your backup destination, enter its fully qualified universal naming convention (UNC) name. For more information, see Backup Devices.

      Important noteImportant
      Backing up data over a network can be subject to network errors; therefore, we recommend that you verify the backup operation after it finishes. For more information, see Verifying Backups.

    Backup device

    Choose this option to select a logical backup device.

    NoteNote
    For information about how to create a disk backup device, see How to: Define a Logical Backup Device for a Disk File (SQL Server Management Studio).

  • Destination on tape
    Specify a backup destination on a tape drive physically connected to the computer running the server (that is, the instance of the Database Engine). Choose one of the following options.

    Tape drive

    Choose this option to select a tape drive as the backup destination from the list of tape drives that are physically connected to the computer that is running the server instance.

    NoteNote
    Tape backup devices on remote computers are not valid backup destinations.

    Backup device

    Choose this option to select an existing logical backup device. These logical backup devices correspond to tape drives that are physically connected to the computer that is running the server instance.

    NoteNote
    For information about how to create a tape backup device, see How to: Define a Logical Backup Device for a Tape Drive (SQL Server Management Studio).