# Zipping sqlserver backup
**URL:** https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/zipping-sqlserver-backup/1276
**Category:** Discussion
**Created:** [August 5, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/zipping-sqlserver-backup/1276 "2009-08-05T03:06:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pkellner](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/pkellner)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/zipping-sqlserver-backup/1276/1 "2009-08-05T03:06:09Z")
I'm running the sqlserver backup activity that runs sqlmaint.exe and creates a filename with a given name (I don't give the backup the name). How can compress this backup file when it completes. Does it store the name in a variable somehow I can get to so I can zip up the files?
If not, how can I get compressed backups with sqlserver 2008?
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### Author:  [@Vincent](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/Vincent)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/zipping-sqlserver-backup/1276/2 "2009-08-06T02:30:46Z")
Hi Peter
We don’t get the backup filename back from SQLMaint as far as I can tell. One thing you could try is to make the backup path an empty folder, that way you just have to zip up all the files in the folder and then delete the files in the folder when done.
HTH
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### Author:  [@pkellner](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/pkellner)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2009, 9:01am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/zipping-sqlserver-backup/1276/3 "2009-08-06T09:01:40Z")
ok, thanks. I'll do that.