The SQL Server database might face some corruption or any other issues that will make the data temporarily or permanently inaccessible. In such situations, restoring the SQL server database from a backup is the only option to protect the data.
In this article, we will discuss a couple of methods to restore the SQL Server database from backup. Without any further introduction, let’s get started.
How Can You Restore SQL Server Database from Backup Using T-SQL Commands
RESTORE DATABASE is the most basic type of command and one of the best ways to restore the SQL Server backups. This is because the T-SQL commands are capable of working anywhere whether you use them in the SQL Server Management Studio, execute through the sqlcmd option, or operate from your program. Let’s discuss what the commands are capable of restoring three types of backups: differential, full, and transaction log backups.
Restore Full SQL Server Database Backup
Full backups contain all the essential pieces of information that are extremely important to restore your database to at some point when the process of backup is completed. The backup will undoubtedly overwrite your SQL database if such exist or product in a new type of SQL Server database. Make sure your full backup is stored within D:\Adventureworks_full.bak and you should restore it to the Adventureworks database. Make sure you execute the following command: RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FR. Make sure you quickly recover any essential items through the best SQL recovery tool.
If you want to restore the transaction or differential log backups after this step, make sure you include the NORECOVERY option. This will help you leave the backup process in the restoring state and help you restore extra differential log backups or transactional log backups. The command is RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FR.
Restore Differential SQL Server Database Backup
Differential backups come with changes that are happened in the database since the completion of the last full backup. The last differential backup will gather all the necessary changes so that you don’t require all previous differential backups to restore the database. Before you start restoring the differential backup, make sure you don’t forget to restore the last full backup through the NORECOVERY option and then the last differential backup through the RECOVERY option. Here are the commands:
RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FR GO
RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FR GO
Restore Transaction Log SQL Server Database Backup
Transaction log backups come with all the transactions that took place between the moment when the last backup process is finished and the last transaction log backup. You need to restore all the transaction log backups that are created after the last differential backup in the exact same sequence. Remember that the log backups will be restored after you complete full and differential backups. Here are the commands you need to know.
RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FROM DISK = ‘D:\Adventureworks-full.bak’
RESTORE DATABASE Adventureworks FR GO
RESTORE LOG Adventureworks FROM DI GO
RESTORE LOG Adventureworks FROM DI GO
How Can You Restore a Database from Backup through SQL Server Management Studio?
If you have installed SQL Server Management Studio, you can only use the interface to restore the database backup. Make sure you follow these instructions:
- Consider connecting your SQL server. After that, right-click on the “Databases” directory, and choose the option “Restore Database”. As per Techopedia, SQL server is the RDBMS of Microsoft.
- Click on the option that is next to the “Source” section to the “Device”.
- When you find the option “Select Backup Device”, click on the option “Add”.
- Choose the backup files that you want to restore, and then click on the option “OK”.
- When you find the “Restore Database” window, make sure you specify the name of the database that you want to restore and click on “OK”.
When you complete these steps properly, your SQL Server database will be restored without any problem. However, make sure you pay close attention as a single mistake can ruin the entire process.
How Can You Restore SQL Server Database Through SQLBackupAndFTP?
If you’re planning to use SQLBackupAndFTP to create a SQL Server backup, you will be able to restore the backup easily and directly from the history panel.
If you want to restore the same server where the system took backups, in the History and restore the section of the SQLBackupAndFTP, choose the specific backup that you want to restore. Click on the three vertical dots on that line and choose the option “Restore from Backup” and continue following the steps.
The best thing about this process is that you can choose any type of backup you want of any type such as log, differential, full and other types of essential backups that can be restored automatically.
If you want to restore other types of backups that are created through SQLBackupAndFTP or other standard T-SQL commands, you need to create a file named “Restore Job” to do so.
Conclusion
This is how you can restore the SQL Server database from backup. Make sure you comment below if you have any other questions.