Restore databases directly to SQL Server

After backing up SQL Server databases using the SQL Server Plug-in, you can restore databases directly to a SQL Server instance.

Note: If a database was backed up using the Image Plug-in, you must restore it using the Image Plug-in.

If transaction logs have been backed up using an alternative method (e.g., native SQL Server backup), you can restore a database in the restoring state so that you can apply transaction logs to the database after the restore.

You must specify a Windows or SQL Server administrator account for connecting to SQL Server during a restore.

After restoring a SQL Server 2016 database that is stretched to Microsoft Azure, you must run a stored procedure (sys.sp_rda_reauthorize_db) to reconnect the local restored database to the remote Azure data. See “Restore the connection between the SQL Server database and the remote Azure database” on the Microsoft Developer Network website: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt733205.aspx#reconnect

To restore a database directly to SQL Server:

1.   On the navigation bar, click Computers.

A grid lists available computers.

2.   Find the computer with the SQL Server database backup that you want to restore, and expand its view by clicking the row for the computer.

3.   Click the Jobs tab.

4.   Find the job with the database that you want to restore. In the job’s Select Action menu, click Restore.

5.   In the Choose how to restore dialog box, select Restore database to a SQL Server instance.

6.   In the Instance list, click the SQL Server instance where you want to restore the database.

7.   Do one of the following:

•      To connect to the instance using a Windows administrator account, select Windows authentication. Enter the user name, password, and domain in the appropriate fields.

•      To connect to the instance using a SQL Server administrator account, select SQL Server authentication. Enter the user name and password in the appropriate fields.

8.   Click Continue.

The SQL Server Restore dialog box shows the most recent safeset for the job.

9.   To restore data from an older safeset, or from SSI (safeset image) files, do one of the following:

•      To restore data from an older safeset, click the calendar button.  In the calendar that appears, click the date of the safeset from which you want to restore. To the right of the calendar, click the specific safeset that you want to use.

•      To restore data from SSI (safeset image) files on disk, select Directory on disk from the Source Device list. Click the folder button.  In the Select Folder dialog box, select the directory where the files are located, and click Okay.

SSI files are full backups exported from the vault or backed up to disk instead of to a vault. It can be quicker to save backup files on physical media and transport them to a location for a restore, than to restore data from a vault in a remote datacenter.

Note: If SSI files were created by a backup to a directory on disk, you cannot restore from the SSI files until they have been imported into the vault and you have synchronized the Agent with the vault.

10.  In the Database Selection box, select the check box for each database that you want to restore.

11.  In the Encryption Password box, enter the data encryption password. To view the password hint, click the Hint button. 

12.  Do one of the following:

•      To restore one or more databases with their original names, select Original Database Names.

•      To restore one database with a new name, select Alternate Database Name. In the field that appears, enter the new name for the restored database.

Note:  You can only restore one database if Alternate Database Name is selected.

13.  Do one of the following:

•      To overwrite the existing database if you restore a database with the same name as the existing database, select Overwrite existing databases.

•      To fail the restore if a database with the same name already exists, clear Overwrite existing databases.

If Overwrite existing databases is not selected, and you are restoring multiple databases, the restore fails for all databases if even one database has the same name as an existing database.

14.  To restore the database in restoring state, select Restore using No Recovery option.

If this option is selected, and transaction logs have been backed up using an alternative method (e.g., native SQL Server backup), you can apply transaction logs to the database after it has been restored.

15.  To specify an alternate location for database files, select Alternate Path. Click the folder button.  In the Select Folder dialog box, select the alternate file location, and click Okay.

Note: The alternate file location is only used if the original location for database files is not available.

16.  To change the log detail level, bandwidth throttling setting or hard recovery option, click Advanced Restore Options. In the dialog box, do one or more of the following:

•      In the Log Level Detail list, select the level of detail for job logging. See Advanced restore options.

•      Select or clear the Use all available bandwidth option. See Advanced restore options.

17.  Click Run Restore.

The Process Details dialog box shows the restore progress and indicates when the restore is completed. Other recent job processes might also be listed in the dialog box. See View current process information for a job.

To close the Process Details dialog box, click Close. If the restore is running, it will continue to run.