Getting Information about Backups and Restores

Sybase IQ provides a backup log, .backup.syb, to help you manage your backup media.

This log is not used to create the backup or to restore the database; however, information describing the backup or restore is recorded in this file during both Backup and Restore.

Note: To display only the information about a particular backup, you can run RESTORE with the CATALOG ONLY option. This option displays the header file for a backup from the media rather than from the file, so that the DBA can identify what is on the tape or file.

Locating the Backup Log
The .backup.syb file is in ASCII text format.
Content of the Backup Log
For every backup or restore you perform, the backup log contains a comma-separated list of fields.
Maintaining the Backup Log
It's a good idea to clean up the backup log after you purge backup media. Use a text editor to do so.
Recording dbspace Names
In the event that you ever need to use the RENAME option of RESTORE to move a database or one of its dbspaces, you need to know the name of every dbspace in the database.

Parent topic: Data Backup, Recovery, and Archiving

Related concepts

Distribution of Backup Data

Restoring in the Correct Order

Content of the Backup Log

Displaying Header Information with CATALOG ONLY Option

Displaying Header Information