How to backup Sql Database Programmatically in C#

Question

you can connect to the database using SqlConnection and SqlCommand and execute the following command text for example:

BACKUP DATABASE [MyDatabase] TO  DISK = 'C:\....\MyDatabase.bak'

See here for examples.

It's a good practice to use a config file like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="MyConnString" connectionString="Data Source=(local);Initial Catalog=MyDB; Integrated Security=SSPI" ;Timeout=30"/>
  </connectionStrings>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="BackupFolder" value="C:/temp/"/>
  </appSettings>
</configuration> 

Your C# code will be something like this:

// read connectionstring from config file
var connectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["MyConnString"].ConnectionString; 

// read backup folder from config file ("C:/temp/")
var backupFolder = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["BackupFolder"];

var sqlConStrBuilder = new SqlConnectionStringBuilder(connectionString);

// set backupfilename (you will get something like: "C:/temp/MyDatabase-2013-12-07.bak")
var backupFileName = String.Format("{0}{1}-{2}.bak", 
    backupFolder, sqlConStrBuilder.InitialCatalog, 
    DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"));

using (var connection = new SqlConnection(sqlConStrBuilder.ConnectionString))
{
    var query = String.Format("BACKUP DATABASE {0} TO DISK='{1}'", 
        sqlConStrBuilder.InitialCatalog, backupFileName);

    using (var command = new SqlCommand(query, connection))
    {
        connection.Open();
        command.ExecuteNonQuery();
    }
}

Works for me:

public class BackupService
{
    private readonly string _connectionString;
    private readonly string _backupFolderFullPath;
    private readonly string[] _systemDatabaseNames = { "master", "tempdb", "model", "msdb" };

    public BackupService(string connectionString, string backupFolderFullPath)
    {
        _connectionString = connectionString;
        _backupFolderFullPath = backupFolderFullPath;
    }

    public void BackupAllUserDatabases()
    {
        foreach (string databaseName in GetAllUserDatabases())
        {
            BackupDatabase(databaseName);
        }
    }

    public void BackupDatabase(string databaseName)
    {
        string filePath = BuildBackupPathWithFilename(databaseName);

        using (var connection = new SqlConnection(_connectionString))
        {
            var query = String.Format("BACKUP DATABASE [{0}] TO DISK='{1}'", databaseName, filePath);

            using (var command = new SqlCommand(query, connection))
            {
                connection.Open();
                command.ExecuteNonQuery();
            }
        }
    }

    private IEnumerable<string> GetAllUserDatabases()
    {
        var databases = new List<String>();

        DataTable databasesTable;

        using (var connection = new SqlConnection(_connectionString))
        {
            connection.Open();

            databasesTable = connection.GetSchema("Databases");

            connection.Close();
        }

        foreach (DataRow row in databasesTable.Rows)
        {
            string databaseName = row["database_name"].ToString();

            if (_systemDatabaseNames.Contains(databaseName))
                continue;

            databases.Add(databaseName);
        }

        return databases;
    }

    private string BuildBackupPathWithFilename(string databaseName)
    {
        string filename = string.Format("{0}-{1}.bak", databaseName, DateTime.Now.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd"));

        return Path.Combine(_backupFolderFullPath, filename);
    }
}

The following Link has explained complete details about how to back sql server 2008 database using c#

Sql Database backup can be done using many way. You can either use Sql Commands like in the other answer or have create your own class to backup data.

But these are different mode of backup.

1. Full Database Backup
2. Differential Database Backup
3. Transaction Log Backup
4. Backup with Compression

But the disadvantage with this method is that it needs your sql management studio to be installed on your client system.

            SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection();
            SqlCommand sqlcmd = new SqlCommand();
            SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter();
            DataTable dt = new DataTable();

            con.ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["MyConString"].ConnectionString;
            string backupDIR = "~/BackupDB";
            string path = Server.MapPath(backupDIR);

            try
            {
                var databaseName = "MyFirstDatabase";
                con.Open();
                string saveFileName = "HiteshBackup";
                sqlcmd = new SqlCommand("backup database" +databaseName.BKSDatabaseName + "to disk='" + path + "\\" + saveFileName + ".Bak'", con);
                sqlcmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                con.Close();                 


                ViewBag.Success = "Backup database successfully";
                return View("Create");
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                ViewBag.Error = "Error Occured During DB backup process !<br>" + ex.ToString();
                return View("Create");
            }