SQL Server 2008 Backup Compression Standard Edition

Question

I'm trying to backup a database in SQL Server 2008 and have the database compressed using the new compression feature. However, when I run the following code, I get a weird error message:

Backup Database <Database> To Disk 'C:\Backup' With Compression

I get this error message:

Backup Database With Compression is not supported on Standard Edition

Does this mean I have to upgrade to the full version or is there a way to enable compression in standard edition?

Answer 1

I realize this is an old post, but just to throw this out there since it showed as one of the first few entries on a Google search - with SQL Server 2008 R2, Standard Edition also gets backup compression. More information here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb964719.aspx

Answer 2

Backup Compression is not supported on SQL 2008 Express, Workgroup, or Standard editions, only on Enterprise. There is no way to turn this on without upgrading your version to Enterprise.

Although you can't backup with compression on those versions, you can RESTORE from compressed backups.

See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb964719.aspx for more info.