BOL: Transact-SQL Reference -> BACKUP

BACKUP
Backs up an entire database, transaction log, or one or more files or filegroups. For more information about database backup and restore operations, see Backing Up and Restoring Databases.

Syntax
Backing up an entire database:

BACKUP DATABASE { database_name | @database_name_var }
TO < backup_device > [ ,...n ]
[ WITH
[ BLOCKSIZE = { blocksize | @blocksize_variable } ]
[ [ , ] DESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ , ] DIFFERENTIAL ]
[ [ , ] EXPIREDATE = { date | @date_var }
| RETAINDAYS = { days | @days_var } ]
[ [ , ] PASSWORD = { password | @password_variable } ]
[ [ , ] FORMAT | NOFORMAT ]
[ [ , ] { INIT | NOINIT } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIADESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIANAME = { media_name | @media_name_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIAPASSWORD = { mediapassword | @mediapassword_variable } ]
[ [ , ] NAME = { backup_set_name | @backup_set_name_var } ]
[ [ , ] { NOSKIP | SKIP } ]
[ [ , ] { NOREWIND | REWIND } ]
[ [ , ] { NOUNLOAD | UNLOAD } ]
[ [ , ] RESTART ]
[ [ , ] STATS [ = percentage ] ]
]

Backing up specific files or filegroups:

BACKUP DATABASE { database_name | @database_name_var }
< file_or_filegroup > [ ,...n ]
TO < backup_device > [ ,...n ]
[ WITH
[ BLOCKSIZE = { blocksize | @blocksize_variable } ]
[ [ , ] DESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ , ] DIFFERENTIAL ]
[ [ , ] EXPIREDATE = { date | @date_var }
| RETAINDAYS = { days | @days_var } ]
[ [ , ] PASSWORD = { password | @password_variable } ]
[ [ , ] FORMAT | NOFORMAT ]
[ [ , ] { INIT | NOINIT } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIADESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIANAME = { media_name | @media_name_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIAPASSWORD = { mediapassword | @mediapassword_variable } ]
[ [ , ] NAME = { backup_set_name | @backup_set_name_var } ]
[ [ , ] { NOSKIP | SKIP } ]
[ [ , ] { NOREWIND | REWIND } ]
[ [ , ] { NOUNLOAD | UNLOAD } ]
[ [ , ] RESTART ]
[ [ , ] STATS [ = percentage ] ]
]

Backing up a transaction log:

BACKUP LOG { database_name | @database_name_var }
{
TO < backup_device > [ ,...n ]
[ WITH
[ BLOCKSIZE = { blocksize | @blocksize_variable } ]
[ [ , ] DESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ ,] EXPIREDATE = { date | @date_var }
| RETAINDAYS = { days | @days_var } ]
[ [ , ] PASSWORD = { password | @password_variable } ]
[ [ , ] FORMAT | NOFORMAT ]
[ [ , ] { INIT | NOINIT } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIADESCRIPTION = { 'text' | @text_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIANAME = { media_name | @media_name_variable } ]
[ [ , ] MEDIAPASSWORD = { mediapassword | @mediapassword_variable } ]
[ [ , ] NAME = { backup_set_name | @backup_set_name_var } ]
[ [ , ] NO_TRUNCATE ]
[ [ , ] { NORECOVERY | STANDBY = undo_file_name } ]
[ [ , ] { NOREWIND | REWIND } ]
[ [ , ] { NOSKIP | SKIP } ]
[ [ , ] { NOUNLOAD | UNLOAD } ]
[ [ , ] RESTART ]
[ [ , ] STATS [ = percentage ] ]
]
}

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