SQL Server Compressed Backup

Command Reference

The first argument for the msbp.exe command line utility must be one of the following commands:

backup
restore
help
listplugins
helpplugin
version

Backup Command

A backup command backs up a database to a file. It has the following syntax:

msbp.exe backup <database plugin> [<transform plugin>, n] <storage plugin>

The first argument after the backup command must be a database plugin, most likely the "db" plugin, followed by any number of transform plugins, and the last argument must be a storage plugin, probably the "local" plugin.

Restore Command

A restore command restores a database from a file. The same set of transform plugins used during the backup should be entered but in the opposite order. For example, if the backup command was:

msbp.exe backup "db(database=model)" "bzip2()" "gzip()" "local(path=c:\model.bak.bz2.gz)"

The restore command should be:

msbp.exe restore "local(path=c:\model.bak.bz2.gz)" "gzip()" "bzip2()" "db(database=model)"

The syntax is:

msbp.exe restore <storage plugin> [<transform plugin>, n] <database plugin>

The first argument after the restore command must be a storage plugin, most likely the "local" plugin, followed by any number of transform plugins, and the last argument must be a database plugin, probably the "db" plugin.

Help Command

The help command prints documentation to the command line.

ListPlugins Command

The ListPlugins command lists all the visible plugins to the msbp.exe utility. This is useful when first learning about the options available, or if you write your own plugin, it lists all the plugins that it can find. If it can't find your plugin, you will not be able to use it.

HelpPlugin Command

The HelpPlugin command prints the plugin's command line documentation. The syntax is:

msbp.exe helpplugin <plugin name>

Version Command

The Version command prints the version and architecture (x86 or x64) of the msbp.exe executable.