SQL Server 2008 backup compression not available in Standard Edition

Backing up database data is very important no matter which database product (RDMS) you are using. Now, if you want to schedule backups in SQL Server 2008 (applies to earlier version as well), you would create a new maintenance plan, select the database to back up, and then set a schedule. Simple enough.

However, if you are using SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition (much more common than the more expensive Enterprise Edition), there's on small catch. The wizard dialog box offers the ability to allow backup compression.

This sounds very useful because backup files usually take equal amounts of disk space than the original database .MDF files. Additionally, the backup files (and the original database files, by the way) compress well when you zip ("winzip") those files. So, even a little compression would come a long way in saving disk space.

The catch is this: when you enable compression in SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition, the database maintenance plan can be created just fine. But when you run the plan, then you will get an error message saying:

Status: Warning: One or more tasks failed.
...
Failed:(-1073548784) Executing the query
"BACKUP DATABASE [SomeDB] TO  DISK =
N'C:\\Backup\So..." failed with the following
error: "BACKUP DATABASE WITH COMPRESSION is
not supported on Standard Edition.

It would be great if the wizard would warn about this beforehand, but it doesn't. So, stay careful when you schedule and set up maintenance plans for backups.