Exam DP-300 Study Notes: Mastering the Art of Database Backup and Restore

Welcome to my Article! As a business owner, it's important to have a solid backup and recovery strategy in place to protect your data. Even if you have advanced features like AGs (Availability Groups) or active geo-replication, there's always the possibility that something could go wrong. That's why having a reliable backup plan is crucial. If something does happen, you'll have the peace of mind knowing that you can restore your databases from your backups.

Backing Up and Restoring SQL Server Databases on Azure Virtual Machines

SQL Server is a database management system that stores data for applications in user databases. It is important to have a backup and recovery plan in place to ensure that the data can be restored in the event of an issue. There are several types of backups that can be made, including full, differential, and transaction log backups. The recovery model for a database determines which types of backups can be made and used to restore the data. The FULL recovery model allows all types of backups, while the SIMPLE recovery model does not allow transaction log backups, meaning that it may not be suitable for those with a smaller recovery point objective (RPO).

Back up a SQL Server virtual machine

There are several options for backing up a SQL Server virtual machine in Azure. One option is to use Azure Backup to create VM-level backups that include everything in the VM, including SQL Server databases. Another option is to use local disks or a network share for the backup files, or to configure backup to URL using an Azure storage account and either a SQL Server credential or a Shared Access Signature. The SQL Server resource provider can also be used to configure automated backups, which can be set up to occur on a schedule and stored in an Azure storage account. Finally, you can use Azure Database Backup to create backups of individual databases that can be stored in an Azure storage account or on-premises. It is important to carefully consider your backup and recovery needs and choose the option that best meets your requirements.

Conclusion

In conclusion, backups are essential for ensuring high availability and disaster recovery. While features like AGs or active-geo replication can provide some level of protection, they should not be relied upon as a substitute for a robust backup and recovery plan. It is important to regularly test your backups by performing restores to ensure that they are viable and can be relied upon in case of an emergency. Remember: without proper backups, all you have are files sitting on a file system, not a reliable plan for keeping your data safe.