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When I connect to a database on a remote server through SSMS running on my own computer and I follow the backup wizard for a database, none of my local computer drives are listed. All I can see are drives on the remote server and I can't get access to them since I do not have enough permissions.

It seems weird, why I can't see my own computer drive volumes when creating a backup file?

Here's what I do:

On Object Explorer, right click on database then click on Tasks > Backup, Add > ...

Part of error message: Can not access the specified path on server.

Daniel K
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Muhammad Musavi
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1 Answers1

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This behaviour is expected.

SQL Server runs on the remote server, in a service account so it cannot not see your own volumes. Why would SQL Server have any special rights to see your local computer?.

You have to create a file share on your local computer, assign appropriate permissions and then you CAN use UNC format (\computername\sharename) to use that local file share.

Daniel K
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TomTom
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  • SQL Server is running on my computer, it's accessing to remote SQL server, so SSMS knows my computer drives, it's `OBVIOUS` that what you said is not that obvious !!! – Muhammad Musavi Jun 03 '19 at 07:21
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    No, it is not. Let me quote your first sentence that you obviously did not read yourself: "I connect to a database on a remote server". Remote server != local computer. SSMS != SQL Server. SSMS locally can see them, but it sends STRINGS to the server, and the server has diffrerent ideas what C:\ means than your SSMS on your computer. – TomTom Jun 03 '19 at 07:30
  • You `obviously` didn't pay attention to the word `through` in `I connect ... through SSMS running on my own computer`. Never mind, It sucks when there are tons of obvious phrases with no feasible solution. – Muhammad Musavi Jun 03 '19 at 09:38
  • SSMS running local is irrelevant. Backups are - as documentation states - run WITHOUT ssms - all SSMS does is send the command string to the server. As such, you can run SSMS where you want, what matters is that the server can reach the location through the path you enter into SSMS (because that path gets sent to the server). – TomTom Jun 03 '19 at 09:39