Encyclopedia backups can be performed using Microsoft administrative utilities. You can create a full backup at first, then perform differential back ups, which backs up only data that changed since the last backup. This makes it easy to create backups, and to restore the database to a given point in your development. When you run Restore, each backup you created is displayed on a list. The main questions to consider are who performs the backup and how often. The answers to these questions are determined by the environment in which you work.

Backing up encyclopedias shared by multiple users usually falls in the domain of a Network Administrator, who can use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio or some other tools, to back up and restore databases. Backups in these environments are often scheduled at regular intervals and the average user need not worry about them.

If you do not share encyclopedias, you can back up or restore using the System Architect Encyclopedia Manager (SAEM). This utility, intended for the single-user version of System Architect, provides a subset of those administrative functions available to a Network Administrator using Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, including backup and restore. SAEM is automatically installed with every copy of System Architect.

You can back up the target encyclopedia before executing any global commands, such as the following: