PowerProtect Data Manager 19.9 Microsoft Application Agent SQL Server User Guide

Configure optional database restore settings

When you configure SQL database restores with the Microsoft app agent for Application Direct SSMS plug-in, you can specify optional restore settings on the Database Restore > Options page.

1. From the left panel, click Options to specify optional restore settings.

   The Options page appears as shown in the following figure.

   

2. To overwrite the existing database with the restored data, select Overwrite the existing database (WITH REPLACE). The database is overwritten only if the database name is unchanged.
   If you select the Restore backups as files option, this option is disabled.
3. To specify a recovery state, select one of the following options in the Recovery state field:
   • RESTORE WITH RECOVERY: To leave the database in the ready-to-use state by rolling back uncommitted transactions, and disable the ability to restore the most recent or additional transaction logs.
   • RESTORE WITH NORECOVERY: To leave the database in the non-operational state by not rolling back uncommitted transactions, and enable the ability to restore the most recent or additional transaction logs.
   • RESTORE WITH STANDBY: To enable the ability to undo committed transactions, save the undo actions in a standby file that enables you to reverse the restore effects, and put the database in the read-only mode. If you select this option, specify the Standby file field by clicking the button that is located on the right of the field, browsing for the file, and then selecting it.
4. To perform a verify only operation, select Verify only.
   A verify only operation verifies that the restore process meets the following requirements without performing the restore operation:

   • The backup set that you want to restore is complete and all volumes are readable
   • Header fields, such as database page IDs are ready to write data
   • Whether the checksum is proper if the backup was performed by selecting the Perform checksum before writing to media option
   • Whether the destination host has sufficient space to restore data
     NOTE

     • The Verify only option requires sufficient space on the client host to operate.
     • If you select the Restore backups as files option, this option is disabled.
5. To compress the restore contents and transport them from the DD Replicator to the application host, select PowerProtect DD System Boost compressed restore.
   This option reduces the impact on network bandwidth.
6. To generate detailed logs, which you can use to troubleshoot any restore issues, specify a number between 1 and 9 in the Select a debug level field. The default value is 0 (zero).
7. To delete debug logs older than a certain number of days, in the Delete debug logs after field, specify the number of days with a number between 1 and 32767 days. The default value is 0 and does not delete any debug logs.

   Regularly deleting debug logs prevents the log folder on the installation drive from becoming too large.

   NOTE This option only deletes debug logs named in the default format and located in the logs folder at <installation_path>\MSAPPAGENT\logs.
8. To restore all the backups that were performed during or after a specified start time and up until the time of the backup that is being restored, select Specify a start time for restore.

   Specify the start date and time in the corresponding fields beside the Specify a start time for restore field. The start date and time must be before the backup time of the save set that is being restored.

9. To specify advanced recovery options, use the Advanced options field to select or type advanced recovery options.
   Separate multiple entries with a comma, for example:

   BUFFERCOUNT=2, KEEP_CDC, KEEP_REPLICATION

   The following advanced recovery options are supported:

   • BUFFERCOUNT=buffer_number: Specifies the total number of IO buffers that can be used during recovery.
   • KEEP_CDC: Enables change data capture (CDC) recovery.

     When restoring a database with CDC enabled, the recover operation works differently depending on the recovery destination.

     Use the KEEP_CDC option to:

     • Recover the CDC enabled database on the same SQL instance by overwriting an existing database.

       In this scenario, KEEP_CDC is optional.

     • Recover the CDC enabled database with a different name on the same SQL instance.

       In this scenario, KEEP_CDC is required.

     • Recover the CDC enabled database on a different SQL server instance.

       In this scenario, KEEP_CDC is required.

   • KEEP_REPLICATION: Preserves the replication when recovering a published database. This option is required if a database was replicated when the backup was created.
10. To edit the number of save sets or versions that the Microsoft application agent cache retrieves, specify a number in the Number of entries to retrieve field.
    You can specify a value of 1 through 10000. The default value is 50.
11. To perform a tail-log backup of the data before performing a restore operation, select Take tail-log backup before restore.

    A tail-log backup ensures that the Microsoft application agent backs up the data that has changed since the previous backup.

    NOTE

    • The Microsoft application agent for Application Direct does not support tail-log backups of multiple databases.
    • This option is disabled if the Restore backups as files or Verify only options are selected.
12. To ensure exclusive access to the database during the restore operation if multiple connections exist, select Close existing connections to destination database.
13. To start the restore operation, click Run.