MSSQL Backup Size
I have a test environment for an application. From time to time I take the database to my local development environment.
A smaller backup means less network latency and a faster local reproduction scenario.
Since 2008 Microsoft SQL Server comes with a feature called backup compression.
I gave it a try and so I ran the two following statements in competition:
BACKUP DATABASE [XXX]
TO DISK = N'D:\DATA\SQL\BACKUP\Uncompressed.bak'
WITH
COPY_ONLY,
NOFORMAT,
NOINIT,
NAME = N'Full Database Backup',
SKIP,
NOREWIND,
NOUNLOAD,
STATS = 10
GO
vs.
BACKUP DATABASE [XXX]
TO DISK = N'D:\DATA\SQL\BACKUP\Compressed.bak'
WITH
COPY_ONLY,
FORMAT,
INIT,
NAME = N'Full Database Backup',
SKIP,
NOREWIND,
NOUNLOAD,
COMPRESSION,
STATS = 10
GO
Here are the results: