database- backup problem

[moni]

I made an application for a shop. It got only one database that stores the whole days billing. When a new financial year begins it makes a backup of the existing table in the same database. The size is now increasing like anything.
Can anybody tell me what is the actual process of backup. Should I make an altogether different database to store the backup table ?
What are the options I should keep in mind while working for backup?

Please help.

[si_the_geek]

Is this in Access? If so the size issue can be easily solved by doing a "compact and repair" (on the tools menu).

If it is Access then I would recommend storing previous years data in a "history" database. Also, a separate database as a rolling backup would be a VERY good idea - just in case the main one fails (that way you would only lose the data after the last backup was made).

[moni]

If I compress I need to do it using vb codes. I found an article in this site on data compression for access in VB but now I cannot find it.
One more prob :
If I make a completely different database then every year I will making new databases. Won't this increase the size make the hard disk fill up fast.

[si_the_geek]

I can't help on the VB code for access "compact & repair", but it is on this forum somewhere.. just do a search

If I make a completely different database then every year I will making new databases. Won't this increase the size make the hard disk fill up fast.

You could have just 1 history database (it would be much easier for querying the data)

As long as you do the compacting when you use the database files (history & current) the size won't be an issue, unless it would have been an issue in a single database anyway.

One thing tho, when you do the backup you need to make sure the main database isn't being used.