How to back up and restore a SQL server database. Over 200,000 companies rely on Microsoft SQL server to manage critical business data, which makes backups essential. In this video, we'll walk through how to properly back up and restore a SQL server database to avoid data loss. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to Ninja One's IT Video Hub for more tech content like this, three SQL server backup types. Let's see the different types of SQL server backup First is full backup. This is the complete snapshot of your database. Every table, every record, everything. It's the foundation for all other backups and needs to be performed before any other method. Next is the differential backup. It only includes the data that's changed since the last full backup. It's faster, lighter, and uses less storage Ideal for daily routines between full backups. Finally, the transaction log backup. This one tracks every change made since the last log backup. It's often used in environments where point in time recovery is critical and where minimizing data loss matters most. Three SQL server recovery models. Let's move on to recovery models. There are three types. Full recovery, simple recovery, and bulk log recovery. Full recovery supports point in time restoration. Using transaction logs to keep logs manageable, you'll need to back them up frequently. On the other hand, simple recovery is great for non-critical data. It automatically reclaims log space, but you can't perform transaction log backups, so your restore options are limited. Finally, bulk log recovery is similar to full recovery, but skips logging for bulk operations. Like large data imports. It saves space, but still requires log backups to function properly. How to backup and restore using SSMS. Do this to backup. Using SSMS open SQL server management studio SSMS. Go to object explorer. Then databases. Right click tasks back up. Set the destination path. Click okay. On the other hand. To restore in SSMS, go to Object Explorer. Right click on databases. Restore database. Select device Browse for the dot back file, and click okay. To restore store five SQL server backup best practices. Do these best practices whenever you do SQL server backup. First, pick the right model. Match your backup and recovery strategy with your business needs and risk tolerance. Also, schedule backups. Don't rely on memory. Automate your backup schedule. Now consider automating everything. Use SQL agent or third party tools to ensure consistency. Another best practice is to do test restores. Backups are useless if you can't restore them. Test often. Finally, follow a backup strategy. Use 3, 2, 1, or 4, 3, 2 models to diversify storage and reduce risk. SQL backups aren't optional. Whether you're doing it manually through SSMS or automating the process, regular backups paired with smart recovery models. Keep your data protected and your operations resilient. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to backup and restore SQL server database. LinkedIn, the description below.