Backup your database using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express (Export to .bak)

To export your SQL database to a .bak file you can use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express. This is found in the start menu in:

• Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > SQL Server Management Studio Express
  OR
• Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 > SQL Server Management Studio Express

If you don't already have mssms installed then you can get it from here:

• http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/

Follow these steps to perform a backup:

1. Open SQL Server Management Studio Express
2. Connect to your database server
3. Right click on the database you want to back up
4. Select the Tasks menu item
5. Select the Backup menu item
6. In the Destination section of the Back Up Database window make sure you have selected Disk
7. Click the Add button and type in a location for the backup
8. Make sure you type the .bak on the end of the filename as it will not automatically add this in for you
9. Click OK and the database will be backed up to the location you specified

Note

If you are connecting to a remote sql server the .bak file can only be saved to the file system of the sql server. I do not know of a way around this limitation so you will need to access to the file system via ftp or some other method in order to move your backup to a secure offsite location.