SQL Server 2008 Administration in Action

10.2. Recovery models and data loss exposure

When a database is created, the recovery model is inherited from the model database. You can modify the recovery model in Management Studio or use the ALTER DATABASE statement, as shown here:

-- Set the Recovery Model to BULK_LOGGED
ALTER DATABASE [ADVENTUREWORKS2008]
SET RECOVERY BULK_LOGGED

There are three different recovery models: simple, full, and bulk logged.

10.2.1. Simple recovery model

A database in the simple recovery model will automatically truncate (remove) committed transactions from the log at each checkpoint operation. As a result, no transaction log backups are required in limiting the growth of the log, so maintenance operations are simplified.

Despite the reduction in maintenance ...