Table-level backup
backup, database-table, sql-server
Solution
You cannot use the `BACKUP DATABASE` command to backup a single table, unless of course the table in question is allocated to its own `FILEGROUP`.
What you can do, as you have suggested, is export the table data to a CSV file. Now in order to get the definition of your table you can 'Script out' the `CREATE TABLE` script.
You can do this within SQL Server Management Studio, by:
right clicking Database > Tasks > Generate Script
You can then select the table you wish to script out and also choose to include any associated objects, such as constraints and indexes.
in order to get the `DATA` along with just the `schema`, you've got to choose `Advanced` on the set scripting options tab, and in the `GENERAL` section set the `Types of data to script` select `Schema and Data`.
Problem
How to take table-level backup (dump) in MS SQL Server 2005/2008?