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sqllogship Application

The sqllogship application performs a backup, copy, or restore operation and associated clean-up tasks for a log shipping configuration. The operation is performed for a specific database on a specific instance of SQL Server 2005 or a later version.

Topic link icon For the syntax conventions, see Command Prompt Utilities.

Syntax

sqllogship -server instance_name { -backup primary_id | -copy secondary_id | -restore secondary_id } [ –verboselevel level ] [ –logintimeout timeout_value ] [ -querytimeout timeout_value ]

Arguments

  • -serverinstance_name
    Specifies the instance of SQL Server where the operation will run. The server instance to specify depends on which log-shipping operation is being specified. For -backup, instance_name must be the name of the primary server in a log shipping configuration. For -copy or -restore, instance_name must be the name of a secondary server in a log shipping configuration.

  • -backupprimary_id
    Performs a backup operation for the primary database whose primary ID is specified by primary_id. You can obtain this ID by selecting it from the log_shipping_primary_databases system table or by using the sp_help_log_shipping_primary_database stored procedure.

    The backup operation creates the log backup in the backup directory. The sqllogship application then cleans out any old backup files, based on the file retention period. Next, the application logs history for the backup operation on the primary server and the monitor server. Finally, the application runs sp_cleanup_log_shipping_history, which cleans out old history information, based on the retention period.

  • -copysecondary_id
    Performs a copy operation to copy backups from the specified secondary server for the secondary database, or databases, whose secondary ID is specified by secondary_id. You can obtain this ID by selecting it from the log_shipping_secondary system table or by using the sp_help_log_shipping_secondary_database stored procedure.

    The operation copies the backup files from the backup directory to the destination directory. The sqllogship application then logs the history for the copy operation on the secondary server and the monitor server.

  • -restoresecondary_id
    Performs a restore operation on the specified secondary server for the secondary database, or databases, whose secondary ID is specified by secondary_id. You can obtain this ID by using the sp_help_log_shipping_secondary_database stored procedure.

    Any backup files in the destination directory that were created after the most recent restore point are restored to the secondary database, or databases. The sqllogship application then cleans out any old backup files, based on the file retention period. Next, the application logs history for the restore operation on the secondary server and the monitor server. Finally, the application runs sp_cleanup_log_shipping_history, which cleans out old history information, based on the retention period.

  • –verboselevellevel
    Specifies the level of messages added to the log shipping history. level is one of the following integers:

    Level

    Description

    0

    Output no tracing and debugging messages.

    1

    Output error-handling messages.

    2

    Output warnings and error-handling messages.

    3

    Output informational messages, warnings, and error-handling messages. This is the default value.

    4

    Output all debugging and tracing messages.

  • –logintimeouttimeout_value
    Specifies the amount of time allotted for attempting to log in to the server instance before the attempt times out. The default is 15 seconds. timeout_value is int.

  • -querytimeouttimeout_value
    Specifies the amount of time allotted for starting the specified operation before the attempt times out. The default is no timeout period. timeout_value is int.

Remarks

We recommend that you use the backup, copy, and restore jobs to perform the backup, copy and restore when possible. To start these jobs from a batch operation or other application, call the sp_start_job stored procedure.

The log shipping history created by sqllogship is interspersed with the history created by log shipping backup, copy, and restore jobs. If you plan to use sqllogship repeatedly to perform backup, copy, or restore operations for a log shipping configuration, consider disabling the corresponding log shipping job or jobs. For more information, see How to: Disable or Enable a Job (SQL Server Management Studio).

The sqllogship application, SqlLogShip.exe, is installed in the x:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\Binn directory.

Permissions

sqllogship uses Windows Authentication. The Windows Authentication account where the command is run requires Windows directory access and SQL Server permissions. The requirement depends on whether the sqllogship command specifies the -backup, -copy, or -restore option.

Option  

Directory access

Permissions

-backup

Requires read/write access to the backup directory.

Requires the same permissions as the BACKUP statement. For more information, see BACKUP (Transact-SQL).

-copy

Requires read access to the backup directory and write access to the copy directory.

Requires the same permissions as the sp_help_log_shipping_secondary_database stored procedure.

-restore

Requires read/write access to the copy directory.

Requires the same permissions as the RESTORE statement. For more information, see RESTORE (Transact-SQL).

Note

To find out the paths of the backup and copy directories, you can run the sp_help_log_shipping_secondary_database stored procedure or view the log_shipping_secondary table in msdb. The paths of the backup directory and destination directory are in the backup_source_directory and backup_destination_directory columns, respectively.