Restoring SQL Server databases

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

Prerequisites

For the 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, make sure the startup type of the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service is not 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 instance, they will be renamed and copied to the default location on the selected SQL Server instance.
If a virtual machine 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 virtual machine instance or any discovered applications that are hosted on it is Protected deleted. When restoring the databases, 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.

Procedure

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.
In the Detail view that appears at the bottom of the screen, select the preferred restore point.
Click Restore.
Select Restore MS SQL Databases, and then click Next.
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)
From the Target SQL Instance drop-down menu, select where you want to restore the databases.
Select the Databases check box if you want to restore all available databases, or select the check boxes before each individual database 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.
Click Next.

Depending on whether you want to recover the databases or to leave the databases in the open mode after the restore, select one of the following options, click Next, and then follow the instructions:

Option	Instructions
Recover	Specify a point in time to which you want to restore the databases. The databases will be restored to the state they were in at the specified time.  Important To be able to perform the point-in-time restore, you must 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. Enable the Overwrite existing databases switch if you want to overwrite the 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.
Leave in Open Mode	Enable the Overwrite existing databases switch if you want to overwrite the existing databases when performing the restore. 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 After leaving the databases in the open mode, you must apply transaction logs to the databases after the restore, which allows you to recover the databases to a specific point-in-time. For instructions, see SQL Server documentation.

Option

Instructions

Recover

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

 Important To be able to perform the point-in-time restore, you must 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.
Enable the Overwrite existing databases switch if you want to overwrite the 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.

Leave in Open Mode

Enable the Overwrite existing databases switch if you want to overwrite the existing databases when performing the restore.

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 After leaving the databases in the open mode, you must apply transaction logs to the databases after the restore, which allows you to recover the databases to a specific point-in-time. For instructions, see SQL Server documentation.

Click Restore.