SourceSafe backup script - best approach?

Question

I was wondering what the best approach might be for creating a backup of my organisation's SourceSafe database, and moving it to a share on another server? Currently we have a scheduled job which runs a batch file, which in turn executes a PowerShell script.

This Powershell script creates a backup file (using SourceSafe command-line arguments), moves it to a new server (via a drive that has been mapped on the SourceSafe server), and sends the output of the SourceSafe backup to our administrator via e-mail.

This process works for the most part, but I can't help but feel there are more streamlined approaches or tools we should be utilizing. Any advice is welcomed!

Answer 1

Look into SSARC- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t9d14fh1(VS.80).aspx, but do look at moving away from SourceSafe!

Answer 2

SSARC is not really a backup tool. I wouldn't recommend it. It's more like a way to cut-n-paste segments of a VSS repository between different databases. It's also not without side effects. At minimum, items in the source database get marked as archived. At worst, they get deleted.

The best way is to take your DB offline, zip it up (or RAR, whatever), and copy the *.zip file somewhere safe. VSS was designed back in the days when file sharing was the only cross-platform protocol reliably available on PC LANs, so the filesystem is the database. Compared to modern client-server systems, VSS architecture has many flaws which I'm sure you're aware of -- but you may as well use its convenience to your advantage.

Answer 3

We are doing it much like you stated but are also taking it offline every night and checking integrity. It's been working great for several years for us.