Provide information about the new Transaction Log Backup function in the latest 2020.1.1 release.

With the release of version 2020.1.1, CCH ProSystem fx Engagement introduced transaction log backups. The resulting .BAK files are smaller in size than the traditional full backups. Transaction log backups back up only the data that has changed since either the last full backup or transaction log backup.  This creates the log backup chain used for restoring the data.

Each database modification is a transaction. As changes are made to a database, log records are added to the transaction log file (.ldf file). A full backup and the subsequent uninterrupted sequence of transaction log backups compose a log backup chain.  A full backup cannot be completely eliminated by transaction log backup. Transaction log backups are incremental, meaning that in order to restore a database from a certain transaction log backup, all prior transaction log backups are required up to the full backup.

Unlike a Differential backup where the size and window of time to backup increases after each backup, Transaction log backup is truly incremental. In the current implementation of Differential backup databases are put into single user mode. Transaction log backup is fully online.

The last full backup and all subsequent transaction log backups are required for data recovery through the CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Database Backup/Restore utility. For more information about Microsoft SQL Transaction log backups see this article:  Transaction Log Backups (SQL Server)

Using both Transaction Log and Differential backup is not supported:  The CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Backup/Restore utility will not support using a mix of Transaction log and Differential backups.  Using both Transaction Log and Differential backup is not supported and will result in a broken log backup chain. Running a Differential backup will require a new full backup to be run using the CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Backup/Restore utility before the next transaction log backup to create the new log backup chain.

Third party SQL Backup:  It is not recommended to use 3rd party SQL backups in addition to Transaction log backups as this will result in a break to the log backup chain.  If you do run a 3rd party full backup, you will be required to start a new log backup chain by first creating a full backup using the CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Backup/Restore utility before the next transaction log backup.

Below is an example of how to create the Transaction log backups with full backups as scheduled tasks:
 

• Weekly full backups of the CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Databases run on Sunday night as a scheduled task. 
• Daily Transaction log backups run Monday through Saturday night
• In order to perform full restore of all databases, or a binder must be recovered from backup, the CCH ProSystem fx Engagement Backup/Restore utility would be run, and all files required to  build the log backup chain (e.g. Sunday's full backup, and all transaction log backups to the recovery point) would be needed to complete the restore.
• Important: Transaction log backup files and the associated Full Backup should all be stored in same location for data recovery. Using both Transaction Log and Differential backup is not supported and will result in
   

Note: The transaction log backup solution is recommended over the differential backup method as it does not require the database enter Single_user mode to complete the Transaction Log backup like it does for the differential backup.