

We recommend a regular backup schedule, which you can supplement with an additional backup after a substantial update. The database that records all of the system level information for a SQL Server system.īack up master as often as necessary to protect the data sufficiently for your business needs. The following table summarizes all of the system databases. Backups of these system databases let you restore and recover the SQL Server system in the event of system failure, such as the loss of a hard disk. If any database uses replication on the server instance, there is a distribution system database that you must also back up. The system databases that you must always back up include msdb, master, and model. Several of the system databases must be backed up after every significant update. SQL Server maintains a set of system-level databases, s ystem databases, which are essential for the operation of a server instance.
