NetVault Plug-in for SQL Server 12.0 - User Guide

Restoring system databases for Online VDI restore with Plug-in for SQL Server

You can only restore system databases from backups that are created on the version of SQL Server that the instance is running. For example, to restore a system database on an instance that is running on SQL Server 2008, use a backup that was created after the instance was upgraded to SQL Server 2008.

The master database must be accessible and at least partly usable for starting a SQL Server Instance. If the master database becomes unusable, you can return the database to a usable state by either restoring the master from a current database backup or rebuilding the master.

You can restore the master database from a Full Database backup only if you are able to start the server instance. If severe damage to the master database prevents you from starting the SQL Server, rebuilding the master is the only option left. For more information, see Rebuilding the master Database in the SQL Server Books Online.

The restoration of the master database includes:

For more information, see Restoring data to an alternate SQL Server.

Restoring the model or msdb database from a backup is required under the following circumstances:

Restoring model or msdb is the same as performing a Complete Database restore of a user database.

Before restoring msdb, the SQL Server Agent Service in the Control Panel must be stopped. Quest also recommends that you shut down applications, because the restore procedure disconnects users when necessary.

Restoring databases involved in replication for Online VDI restore

You can restore all databases in a replication topology if recent backups are available and the proper steps are followed. The restore steps for the publication database depend on the type of replication and options used, but the steps for all other databases are independent of the type and options.

Replication supports restoring replicated databases to the same SQL Server Instance and database from which the backup was created. If you restore a replicated database from a backup to a different instance, replication settings cannot be preserved. In this case, re-create all publications and subscriptions after backups are restored.

For more information, see Strategies for Backing Up and Restoring Snapshot and Transactional Replication and Strategies for Backing Up and Restoring Merge Replication sections in the SQL Server Books Online.

Restoring data from Online VDI backups

A standard restore with Plug‑in for SQL Server in SQL Server includes the steps outlined in the following topics:

Selecting Online VDI data for restore

IMPORTANT: When restoring a read-only filegroup, the filegroup must be explicitly selected in the selection tree. Though a green check mark appears for the read-only filegroup when you select the parent-level database, the filegroup is not restored. When including a read-only filegroup in a restore, select the individual items instead of selecting the parent-level database.

IMPORTANT: If you are restoring an AlwaysOn Availability Group, select only databases that either belong to one specific group or to one specific SQL Server Instance; you cannot select a mixture.