Sharepoint: How to backup site: stsadm export and SPD backup

[What you have]:

A SharePoint site that needs to be backup

[What you want]:

You want to understand what tools you need to use to backup\restore one site (SPweb). What's the difference between stsadm and SharePoint Designer Backup anyway?

[What you want to know]:

Just a quick reminder:

Stsadm.exe -o backup performs a backup for entire site collection

Stsadm.exe -o export exports the site (spweb):

I will be focusing on the backuping up the site (spweb).  I will compare 2 options for site backup: SharePoint Designer (SPD) and stsadm -o export.

1. STSADM.EXE -O EXPORT

• It can export sitecollection and webapplication as well.
• It exports data using Object Model and generated new GUID for every object.
• It doesn't copy workflow history and tasks lists. 

2. SharePoint Designer has an option to backup\restore the site:

This actually generates the same structure as  stsadm -o export\import

 Here is the backup made by stsadm -o export -url {url} -filename hzrdmgmt20110427.bak -versions 4 -includeusersecurity

Here is a backup made through the SharePoint Designer:

As you can see the structure is the same. The difference only in an attribute in the ExportSettings.xml:

"IncludeVersions". 

SPD can't backup a site larger than 2 Gb

If you have not installed Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 with Service Pack 2 (SP2), backups that are performed by using Office SharePoint Designer are limited to 25 MB. After you install Office SharePoint Server 2007 with SP2 and Office SharePoint Designer with SP2, the limit is increased to 2 GB

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SPD by default set "LastMajor" which means that the all other versions will be lost.

Using stasdm -o export allows you  specify what version backup strategy you want to employ (MSDN:Export: Stsadm)

!! Export will generate a new GUID for object. That means that you can't roll backup over the existing site. In the scenario when you need to restore the site - you have to create a new blank site and then export the backup file. (Capture and restore content by using SharePoint Designer)

[What you want to consider]:   


Additional reading:
stsadm export/import vs Backup/Restore
SharePoint Designer and STSADM Import/Export