>         I have a SQL database that is too large to back up fully on a
daily
> basis. This is on a development box. I switched to doing a full backup on
> Sundays and a differential backup on all other days. Yesterday the
> development team requested a restore of the database to the middle of
last
> week however I found that all differential backups prior to the last FULL
> backup (this past Sunday) were gone and I had to put their database back
to
> the Sunday before last. My question is "Is there a way to keep older
> differential backups after a new full backup is completed? (A setting in
> TDP?) Alternatively, is there a work-around that will allow me to have
done
> the restore to the middle of last week?" Would transaction log backups
have
> worked? If I must I will switch to incremental backups. Will the old
> incremental backups also disappear after each full backup as I've seen
with
> the differential backup?

Al,

This can all be handled by setting up your policy settings.
If your management classes are set up so that you keep multiple
versions of files, then you can do this today.

Did you go to the Restore Tab and click on "View Active and Inactive"?
That will enable you to see the differentials that went inactive.
Each differential replaces the previous differential and the previous
one will become inactive and will be kept as long as your
management class settings specify.
Unless, of course... your management class is set up in such a way
that it doesn't keep multiple versions.

Thanks,

Del

----------------------------------------------------
Del Hoobler
Del Hoobler
IBM Corporation
hoobler AT us.ibm DOT com

"Celebrate we will. Life is short but sweet for certain..."  -- Dave