Why It Is Important to Back up Your Access Database
Unlike an Oracle or SQL database, where the database administrator or network administrator usually has the responsibility of taking backups and carrying out restore operations when certain database files get corrupted, in case of an Access database, there is just a single MDB file that needs managing. No administrator is usually required which makes the task of creating and managing the database fairly easy for the individual user. On the other hand, they tend to overlook the fact, that they have to learn to manage the database successfully, avoiding corruption in the Access database and even if corruption occurs, to quickly put into effect a restoration plan that will help in access recovery.
Many Access users put a lot of faith in the Undo command provided by Access (version 2007). This feature lets you reverse changes up to twenty times from the time that you last saved the database file. A user therefore feels falsely reassured that any mistake made while making changes in the database can be undone by simply using this command. However, what the user fails to understand is that the Undo command is not completely foolproof and it certainly does not work when changes have been made in the database using any action query. If changes have been made using the action query and you find that there have been some unwanted changes, the only way to carry out an access recovery is from the most recent backup of the database. This is one of the reasons why users are advised to take a backup just before running any action query and especially so, if the query is going to make many modifications or delete many records.
If you are trying to decide on a backup strategy and want to know how often you should take backups, you should first consider what kind of a database you are trying to backup and then work on a schedule to back it up.
o If the database you are backing up is an archive, you may only make occasional changes to the file by simply appending more data to the file. You can backup an archive only when you make changes to the file.
o On the other hand, if you are trying to backup an active database or if the data in the database changes frequently, you should have a more regular backup schedule so that when you are required to carry out an access recovery, even the latest changes can be restored.
o Your active database may be in the form of a split database with the data stored in a back-end and the user interface objects such as forms and reports stored in a front-end. You may schedule backups for the back-end on a more regular basis while backups for the front-end can be taken only when you make any changes in the design of the objects.
Backups are a great way of saving yourself a lot of heartburn when you are faced with a corrupt database by allowing you to quickly restore data. However, there may be times when even your backups get corrupted. Even in such situations, you should be able to use specialized tools such as Advanced Access Repair from DataNumen to restore data in the damaged MDB files.
Many Access users put a lot of faith in the Undo command provided by Access (version 2007). This feature lets you reverse changes up to twenty times from the time that you last saved the database file. A user therefore feels falsely reassured that any mistake made while making changes in the database can be undone by simply using this command. However, what the user fails to understand is that the Undo command is not completely foolproof and it certainly does not work when changes have been made in the database using any action query. If changes have been made using the action query and you find that there have been some unwanted changes, the only way to carry out an access recovery is from the most recent backup of the database. This is one of the reasons why users are advised to take a backup just before running any action query and especially so, if the query is going to make many modifications or delete many records.
If you are trying to decide on a backup strategy and want to know how often you should take backups, you should first consider what kind of a database you are trying to backup and then work on a schedule to back it up.
o If the database you are backing up is an archive, you may only make occasional changes to the file by simply appending more data to the file. You can backup an archive only when you make changes to the file.
o On the other hand, if you are trying to backup an active database or if the data in the database changes frequently, you should have a more regular backup schedule so that when you are required to carry out an access recovery, even the latest changes can be restored.
o Your active database may be in the form of a split database with the data stored in a back-end and the user interface objects such as forms and reports stored in a front-end. You may schedule backups for the back-end on a more regular basis while backups for the front-end can be taken only when you make any changes in the design of the objects.
Backups are a great way of saving yourself a lot of heartburn when you are faced with a corrupt database by allowing you to quickly restore data. However, there may be times when even your backups get corrupted. Even in such situations, you should be able to use specialized tools such as Advanced Access Repair from DataNumen to restore data in the damaged MDB files.