Restoring databases

With R‑Cloud, you can restore SQL Server databases to the original or a different SQL Server application instance.

Prerequisites

  • For point-in-time restore:

    • The database recovery model must be set to full or bulk-logged.

    • When selecting the restore point, make sure that the transaction log from any successive backup is available.

  • For improved restore performance, the startup type of the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service may not be set to Disabled.

Limitations

  • Restoring SQL Server databases to another SQL Server application instance is supported only if you are restoring to the same or later version of the application.

  • Only if you plan to use the Archive restore point tier. Performing the point-in-time restore is not supported.

Considerations

  • If you are restoring the databases to a different SQL Server application instance, they will be renamed and copied to the default SQL Server location of the selected target.

  • If an instance is deleted from the source, but it still has at least one valid restore point available, it is considered protected. In this case, the status of the instance or any discovered applications running on it is Protected deleted. When restoring application items of such an application, keep in mind that you cannot restore them to the original application instance.

  • You cannot perform a restore of an application whose retention period specified in the policy has been exceeded (such restore points are grayed out in the R‑Cloud web user interface).

  • For restoring an SQL Server database to a different SQL Server instance: The Overwrite existing databases option should be enabled only when restoring to an SQL Server instance that is on a different server and has identical database paths.

To access the Applications panel, in the navigation pane, click Applications Applications.

Procedure

  1. In the Applications panel, click the SQL Server application whose databases you want to restore to open the Detail view.

    Note  The Detail view appears only if you click an application. Selecting the check box before the name of the application does not open the Detail view.

  2. In the Detail view that appears at the bottom of the screen, select the preferred restore point.

  3. Click Restore Files Restore.

  4. Select Restore Databases, and then click Next.

  5. From the Restore From drop-down menu, select which tier you want to use for the restore. Your restore point can contain one or more tiers among which you can select:

    • Automatic: This option ensures the fastest and most cost-effective restore.

    • Backup (Snapshot)

    • Backup (Target)

    • Copy

    • Archive—(daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)

  6. From the Target SQL Instance drop-down menu, select where you want to restore the databases.

  7. Depending on what you want to restore, do one of the following:

    • If you want to restore the whole application instance, select the Restore whole SQL instance check box.

    • If you want to restore databases, select the Databases check box to restore all databases, or select the check boxes before individual databases to restore only the selected databases.

      Tip  You can search for a database by entering its name in the Search field and then pressing Enter.

  8. Optional. Specify a point in time to which you want to restore data. The databases will be restored to the state they were in at the specified time.

    Note  To perform a point-in-time restore, select a backup that was performed before the specified point in time so that the database instance can be brought to the appropriate state by applying the transaction log files from the next backup.

  9. Click Next.

  10. Use the Leave databases in restoring state switch if you want to leave the databases in the restoring state. By doing so, you can apply transaction logs to the databases after the restore and perform a manual point-in-time restore.

  11. Use the Overwrite existing databases switch if you want to overwrite existing databases when performing the restore. In this case, the backups will be restored to their original location and all data will be overwritten. Keep in mind that if you are restoring the databases to another SQL Server instance, all the databases that have the same names (and not necessarily the contents) will be overwritten.

    If you disable the Overwrite existing databases switch, the data will not be overwritten during the restore. In this case, specify a database prefix that will be given to the databases, a new database file location, and a new database log location.

    Important  If you are restoring the whole application instance, the Overwrite existing databases option is enabled by default and you cannot disable it—you always overwrite the existing databases.

  12. Click Restore.