Keep only X # of backups when appending to BU file

Using SQL Server 2005 STD, is there a way to create a maintance plan to
backup the database, appending to a file, but only keeping the last X number
of backups?
I would like to keep 4 full backups at a time. When the 5th backup occurs, I
would like the first to be deleted.
I've seen options like this in 3rd party backup tools, but is there a way to
do this natively w/ SQL Server?
Have a look at the expire parameter of the backup command. From
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187510.aspx
a.. To have the backup set expire after a specific number of days, click
After (the default option), and enter the number of days after set creation
that the set will expire. This value can be from 0 to 99999 days; a value of
0 days means that the backup set will never expire.
The default value is set in the Default backup media retention (in days)
option of the Server Properties dialog box (Database Settings Page). To
access this, right-click the server name in Object Explorer and select
properties; then select the Database Settings page.
Hilary Cotter
Director of Text Mining and Database Strategy
RelevantNOISE.Com - Dedicated to mining blogs for business intelligence.
This posting is my own and doesn't necessarily represent RelevantNoise's
positions, strategies or opinions.
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"Dan" <Dan@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DEA2E6D1-DB67-42F7-8406-E37EB553AEA9@.microsoft.com...
> Using SQL Server 2005 STD, is there a way to create a maintance plan to
> backup the database, appending to a file, but only keeping the last X
> number
> of backups?
> I would like to keep 4 full backups at a time. When the 5th backup occurs,
> I
> would like the first to be deleted.
> I've seen options like this in 3rd party backup tools, but is there a way
> to
> do this natively w/ SQL Server?
|||If every backup goes to the same file, then the answer is no. There
is no way for SQL Server to drop old backups from the front of the
file. The solution is for each backup to go to an individual file.
Roy Harvey
Beacon Falls, CT
On Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:34:01 -0700, Dan
<Dan@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Using SQL Server 2005 STD, is there a way to create a maintance plan to
>backup the database, appending to a file, but only keeping the last X number
>of backups?
>I would like to keep 4 full backups at a time. When the 5th backup occurs, I
>would like the first to be deleted.
>I've seen options like this in 3rd party backup tools, but is there a way to
>do this natively w/ SQL Server?