Performing a restore operation

You can restore SQL Server databases from a SnapManager backup in two ways: using the SnapManager Restore option or using the SnapManager Restore Wizard. You can restore from local backups or archived backups.

Preparing to restore operation from a SnapManager backup set

Before you restore from a SnapManager backup set, review the following checklist:

The SQL Server must be online and running before a SnapManager Restore can take place. This applies to both user database restore operations and system database restore operations.
Be sure that the target databases are detached or in a suspect state.
You can perform a restore of the SQL Server databases with the databases online, but this requires that the online restore option be enabled. To view or change this option and other options pertaining to the SnapManager restore operation, go to the SnapManager console root and select Options > Restore Settings.
If you restore multiple databases to the same SQL Server instance, ensure that you do not assign the same target database name for multiple databases.

Follow these guidelines when restoring a SnapManager backup set:

Although not necessary, you should always restore from the most recent Snapshot copy, sqlsnap__SqlServerName_ recent, where SqlServerName is the host name of the SQL Server.
If you rename a database, make sure that you back it up as soon as possible.
If you use SnapManager to restore a backup that is not the most recent one, that backup's sequential backup sets are still available for future restore.
An earlier version of SQL Server cannot restore databases that were created in a later version of SQL Server, but databases created by an earlier version of SQL server can be restored by a later version of SQL Server.

Preparing to restore an online database as a new database

You must detach the online database before you begin restoring it as a new database on the same SQL Server instance.

Each time you restore a SnapManager backup set, you must specify the following information in either the SnapManager Restore option or in the Restore Wizard:

Backup set from which the databases are to be restored You can select an unverified backup set, but SnapManager will ask you to confirm your selection. You should restore only from verified backup sets.

If for some reason you do not have a verified backup set available when you need to perform a restore and you do not want to wait for a verification to be completed before you perform the restore, you might find it necessary to restore directly from an unverified backup set.

If you must restore from an unverified backup set, you are strongly recommended to perform an up-to-the-minute restore operation. This way, if you discover later that the backup set was corrupted, you can restore the database from a different backup set.

If an SQL Server 2005 database has the full-text search option enabled, the full-text search catalogs are visible when you click the "+" next to the database name. The full text catalogs can be migrated, backed up, and restored along with the other files or filegroups of the database.

Databases to be restored from the backup set: All databases in the backup set (the default setting)

A subset of the databases in the backup set To choose only a subset of the databases in the selected backup set, highlight any database in the right pane and then select the Unselect All Databases and Logs item from the context menu. This deselects all databases in the backup set. You can then choose the individual databases that you want to restore.

Database target:

Original database (the default setting)
A database of a different name

SQL Server instance to which the backup set is to be restored:

Original SQL Server (the default setting)
A different SQL Server (only on the same host)

Restore type:

Up-to-the-minute (the default setting)
Point-in-time
Restore to mark

For more information, see Types of SnapManager restore operations and Choosing the type of restore operation to perform.

You cannot restore multiple databases with different restore options in a single restore operation.

Restore location:

Original database location (the default setting)
Other location

If you are restoring a log-shipped database, do not restore the transaction logs. Restoring the transaction logs to a log-shipped database causes the SnapManager operation to fail.

The state to which the databases are to be set after the restore operation finishes

For a single-database restore operation, this is configured in the Restore Options dialog box, described in Specifying the post restore state of databases.

For a multiple-database restore operation, this is configured in the Multiple Database Restore Options dialog box, described in Specifying the post restore state of databases.

How filestreams are supported by SnapManager for SQL Server

Filestreams are fully supported by SnapManager for SQL Server, and filestream objects configured within SQL appear in the SnapManager for SQL Server GUI. If you have a database that includes filestream objects, SnapManager for SQL Server can back up and restore the filestream objects along with the database. For more information about how to enable the Filestream option, see SQL Server online documentation.

Verification settings

The following list summarizes the settings that pertain to database restore operations:

Which SQL Server is used to perform database verification
This is configured using the SQL Server option of the Verification Settings dialog box. See "Selecting the database verification server" in Database integrity verification options.
Which DBCC options are used to verify database backup sets
This is configured using the DBCC Options option of the Verification Settings dialog box. See "Selecting DBCC options" in Database integrity verification options.
The Verification Settings dialog box can be accessed from the Restore wizard.

Restore settings

The following restore settings determine how SnapManager is to restore database backup sets:

Recover databases without restoring at the end of the restore if needed
Restore databases even if existing databases are online
Retain SQL database replication settings
Create transaction log backup before restore

If you are restoring a log-shipped database, disable the option to create a transaction log backup before the restore.

Abort database restore if transaction log backup before restore fails

These settings are configured using the Restore Settings dialog box, described in "Configuring the profile of a restore operation" in SnapManager restore options.

Using the Find Backups Wizard

You can restore backups that were created previously using the Find Backups wizard. Follow these steps to restore backups created previously.

Step	Action
1	Click Restore in the Scope pane.
2	Click Find Backups in the Actions pane. Result The SnapManager for SQL Server Find Backups Wizard starts.
3	Follow the steps as instructed in the wizard and click Finish.

Step

Action

Click Restore in the Scope pane.

Click Find Backups in the Actions pane.

Result The SnapManager for SQL Server Find Backups Wizard starts.

Follow the steps as instructed in the wizard and click Finish.

Using this wizard, you can restore backups that were created on the same SQL Server, restore from unmanaged media or restore backups that were created on a different server by selecting the relevant option in the wizard. You need to enter the SnapInfo directory path if you want to restore from unmanaged media or restore backups that were created on a different server.

Restoring using the SnapManager Restore option

To restore an SQL Server database from a backup set using SnapManager Restore, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Review the list in "Preparing to restore operation from a SnapManager backup set" in Performing a restore operation.
2	Make sure that all Windows Explorer windows are closed on the SQL Server computer that is running SnapManager.
3	Disable any SnapManager operations that are scheduled to run against the SQL Server data you are restoring, including any jobs scheduled on remote management or remote verification servers.
4	In the SnapManager console root, click the SQL Server you want to perform the restore operation on. Note: You can only restore from hosts, not from storage systems.
5	In the Scope pane, click Restore. Result You can now navigate the backup sets.
Specify the source
6	If you want to restore databases to this SQL Server using SnapManager backup sets that were created for other SQL Servers, follow the procedure described in "Restoring from other SQL Server backups using SnapManager Restore" in Restoring databases from other SQL Server backups.
7	In the Restore panel, double-click to select the backup set from which you want to restore.
8	In the Actions panel, click Restore. Result The SnapManager for SQL Server-Restore window appears.
9	If you want to restore as a database with a different name than the original database, follow these steps: Click the tab marked "..." next to "Restore as Database". The "Individual Database Restore As..." dialog box appears. In the Restore as Database box, enter the database name to which you want the backup restored. This database name must not already exist on the SQL Server instance to which you will be restoring the database. Click OK to apply your change and close the dialog box.
10	Click the tab marked "..." next to "Restore to Server (instance)".
11	Select or enter the server name that you want the database to be restored to.
12	Choose the Connection by selecting the "Use Windows Authentication" or "Use SQL Server Authentication" radio button.
13	Click OK to apply your change and close the dialog box.
Specify the restore type
14	If...	Then...
	You want to restore to a point-in-time backup	Click the tab marked "..." next to "Point-in-Time Restore." The Point-in-Time dialog box opens. In the Point-in-Time Restore dialog box, specify the date and time after which transaction logs are not applied to the restored database. Click OK to apply your change and close the dialog box. Note: A point-in-time restore halts the restoration of transaction log entries that were recorded after the specified date and time.
	You want to restore to a marked transaction	Click the tab marked "..." next to "Marked Transaction." The Marked Transaction dialog box opens. In the Marked Transaction dialog box, select which marked transaction at which to stop the restore operation. Click OK.
15	If you want to run a command or script prior to performing the restore operation or after the restore operation finishes, select the "Run Command Settings" option. Result If you select this option, SnapManager displays the Run Command dialog box. For more information, see Pre-command and post-command script settings.
16	If you want to restore the database to a different location, do the following: Click the ... tab next to Restore to Other Location. To edit the location, select and modify the Restore To field for each row or select the ... tab and browse for the location. Note the following requirements for the location: If you restore a database to a different path and that path is an SMB share, the SMB share must be accessible from SnapDrive. If you chose to restore from unmanaged media, enter the location of the mounted disk where the database files are available. You cannot spread a database's files across SAN and NAS. Note: If the alternate location does not have enough space, the restore will fail. If this happens, delete the partially copied database files.
17	To start the restore operation, click Restore. Result SnapManager begins to restore your databases from the backup you selected. SnapManager Restore completes each task and checks it off the list shown in the Restore Task List view. You can switch back and forth between the task check-off list and the progress report using the Switch buttons on either window. If the restore is successful, the Task window shows the check-off list with the tasks completed, and a dialog box reports that the restore was successful. Note: If Notification is enabled, email is sent and the event is posted to the Windows event log.
18	After all the restore tasks are finished, click OK. Result Your restore is complete and your SQL Server computer comes back online.
19	After the restore is complete, you should perform a full backup and verification to verify that your restored database is free of physical-level corruption. This step is especially important if you restored a database to a different path that is shared by existing databases.

Other restore options in the Actions pane

You can change the management group of the database to be restored using the option "Change Management Group." You can also mount Snapshot copies, run the DBCC functionality, and attach a copy of databases to Snapshot copies using the option "Mount Attach Db..."

Restoring using the SnapManager Restore Wizard

To restore an SQL Server database from a backup set using the SnapManager Restore Wizard, complete the following steps.

Step	Action
1	Review the list in "Preparing to restore operation from a SnapManager backup set" in Performing a restore operation.
2	Make sure that all Windows Explorer windows are closed on the SQL Server computer running SnapManager.
3	Disable any SnapManager operations that are scheduled to run against the SQL Server data you are restoring, including any jobs scheduled on remote management or remote verification servers.
4	To launch the SnapManager Restore Wizard, select the server you want to restore to in the Scope pane.
5	Select "Restore Wizard" from the Actions pane. Result The Restore Wizard appears and displays the Welcome screen.
Start
6	Click Next. Result The SnapManager for SQL Server Restore screen appears.
SQL Server
7	By default, SnapManager restores from backups that were created on the same server that you run the Restore wizard on.
	If...	Then...
	You want to restore from backups that were created on the same SQL Server	Select "Restore SnapManager backups that were created on the same SQL Server". The "Backup Set" screen appears. See Step 8.
	You want to restore from backups that were created on a different SQL Server	Select "Restore backup created on a different server". Follow the procedure described in "Restoring from other SQL Server backups using the SnapManager Restore wizard" in Restoring databases from other SQL Server backups.
	You want to restore from an unmanaged media	Select "Restore from Unmanaged Media".
Backup Set
8	Double-click to select the backup under the database you want to restore. Click Next.
9	Follow the instructions in the Restore wizard as you proceed.
Restore Database As
10	If you want to restore the database to a different location, do the following: Click the ... tab next to Restore to Other Location. To edit the location, select and modify the Restore To field for each row or select the ... tab and browse for the location. Note the following requirements for the location: If you restore a database to a different path and that path is an SMB share, the SMB share must be accessible from SnapDrive. If you chose to restore from unmanaged media, enter the location of the mounted disk where the database files are available. You cannot spread a database's files across SAN and NAS. Note: If the alternate location does not have enough space, the restore will fail. If this happens, delete the partially copied database files.
Completing the Restore Wizard
11	After you verify that all the settings in the screen are correct, click Finish. Result The Restore wizard closes and the Restore Status dialog box appears and displays the Restore Task List, which will be used to show the progress of the restore operation after you start it.
Restore Status
12	To start the restore operation, click Start Now. Result SnapManager begins to restore your databases from the backup you selected. SnapManager Restore completes each task and checks it off on the list shown in the Restore Task List view. You can switch back and forth between the task check-off list and the progress report using the Switch buttons on either window. If the restore is successful, the Task window shows the check-off list with the tasks completed, and a dialog box reports that the restore was successful. Note: If Notification is enabled, email is sent to the specified address. All events are posted to the Windows event log, even if notification is not enabled.
13	After the restore is complete, click OK to close the dialog box. Result Your restore is now complete and your SQL Server computer comes back online.
14	After the restore is complete, you should perform a full backup and verification to verify that your restored database is free of physical-level corruption. This step is especially important if you restored a database to a different path that is shared by existing databases.