SQL Server Log Shipping: File copy options? I usually use redgate sql backup which has a transaction log copy mechanism built in.

If I roll my own log shipping, what are established ways to move the log file?

I want to emphasize: The way log shipping works in the log shipping feature is a mess. The requirement of a file share, and all the firewall and auth overhead of that are simply over the top.

In my dreams, there would be an automatic way to do log shipping via azure files. Click click click. Think how great this would be:

1) No file shares needed!
2) Your backups and tran logs are automatically backed up in azure cloud (DR step #1 !)
3) The remote can be anywhere
4) I can now easily do one-to-many log shipping, because the point to point architecture of the built in log shipping is side stepped.
If I roll my own log shipping, what are established ways to move the log file?


Why do you want to roll out your own logshipping solution ? Microsoft has put in a lot of effort for giving out-of-box Logshipping from SQL 2005 and up. This is tested by millions of customers since sql 2005, so highly unlikely you will encounter any bugs with it.

You can refer to : Step By Step SQL Server Log Shipping for how to configure native logshipping.  

References for Custom Logshipping :


Log shipping and A Control Mechanism
Custom Log Shipping
How to Setup Log Shipping for Multiple Databases


Using Powershell :


Log Shipping via PowerShell Invoke-LSRestore
Your poor man’s SQL Server log shipping-PowerShell version
Secure Log Shipping via SSL FTP
Automating SQL Log Shipping over SFTP (SSH), the simple way