backup sql server database

How to backup to and restore from network drives, mapped drives or network shares?

SQL Server cannot read mapped drives. In your backup and restore commands always refer to the network drive or network share using UNC path. UNC path has the following format: \\MachineName\ShareName or \\MachineName\DriveLetter$\Path

Here is an example to backup the pubs database to a share called 'AllBackups' on a remote machine named 'BackupServer':

BACKUP DATABASE Pubs TO DISK='\\BackupServer\AllBackups\Pubs.BAK'

To backup pubs database to a the admin share 'D$' on a remote server named 'BackupServer':

BACKUP DATABASE Pubs TO DISK='\\BackupServer\D$\MSSQL7\BACKUP\Pubs.BAK'

For network backups and restores to work, make sure your SQL Server and SQL Agent services are NOT running under system account. These services must run using a domain account and this domain account must have read and write permissions on the network share or drive.