SQL Backup Procedures

The new high-availability features of Lync Server 2013 present new considerations for the backup of Lync Server data as well. For example, the Front End Pool Pairing feature includes the Lync Server Backup Service, which synchronizes the Lync Back End databases between two Front End pools, including the Central Management Store. For this reason, with some Lync Server 2013 topologies individual backups of SQL databases can be diminished in importance in comparison with previous versions of the product. However, there are still circumstances in which it makes sense to perform a manual backup of the Lync SQL databases. For example, it is always recommended to perform a backup before performing major configuration changes. With that in mind, it makes sense to be familiar with the options for performing this type of backup.

There are actually a number of ways to back up the Lync SQL databases, including native Windows Server backup, SQL-based backups that output the data into a flat file, and third-party backup solutions that support SQL. In the following sections, two methods of backing up the Lync Back End databases are detailed, including Windows Server native backup and SQL 2012 native backup.