Copy a SQL Server 2000 database to another box without interrupting the backup chain

I have a small-but-important MS SQL Server 2000 database that I'd like to copy to a development box. I understand that the usual way to do this is to make a copy of a full backup file, and restore that backup onto the dev box.

The twist here is that I've recently inherited this database and its backups are managed by a third-party tool (Groundworks). As far as I can tell, I don't have access to the backup files themselves, but only to the Groundworks interface which doesn't appear to expose them. The database has full, differential, and transaction log backups, so I can't just make a backup on my own from Management Studio, since I understand I'll invalidate the backup chain until the next full scheduled backup.

If this were SQL Server 2005, I'd get around this with a copy-only backup, but that feature doesn't seem to be there in SQL Server 2000.

Is there an approach I'm missing? The Groundworks manual doesn't seem to cover this scenario and I haven't had any luck online, but I'm rather new to DBA work and have the feeling I've overlooked something.

Taking a full backup will invalidate the subsequent differential backups, but it won't break the log chain. So you'd restore with your last full backup taken by the tool - and then all the subsequent log backups. Not ideal, but....

Can you take your full backup just before the tool takes its full backup?

StackExchange Database Administrators Q#16021, answer score: 4