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SQL Restore option

  • 20 October 2021
  • 3 replies
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Userlevel 4
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Good morning all

 

I’ve had a strange request from a customer and I don’t know if it can be actioned.

We run SQL agent backups on a set schedule and restore DB’s as one normally would.

 

The DBA would like to know if there is a way to take the DB backup we have and restore it as a *.bak flat file. The reason for the request is that disk space on the client is constrained anda *.bak file will be compressed.

Thanks in advance.

 

Regards,
Mauro

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Best answer by RubeckDK 20 October 2021, 14:18

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Userlevel 3
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Hi Mauro.. 

 

Yes, you should be able to restore the MS SQL DB as a flat file (or files)…  When restoring the DB to .bak, you might see multiple .bak files depending on the number of streams that were used to back up the DB. 

 

Commcell GUI: https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=112754.htm

Command Center: https://documentation.commvault.com/commvault/v11_sp20/article?p=104483.htm

 

Hope it helps.. 

 

Kind regards

Rubeck

 

 

Userlevel 6
Badge +14

@Mauro 

You can leverage the restore to disk option to restore the data as a .bak assuming the backup was performed as a streaming backup. Meaning you are not leveraging Intellisnap or application aware. If those were leveraged on this SQL client the restore to disk option will dump the data as a mdf and ldf files.

Also note there will be most likely two .bak files for the restore. The number of .bak files is equal to the number of streams that were used for the backup on the subclient properties (default is 2) However when performing the restore in SQL the DBA would just add all of the .bak files to the restore options.

https://documentation.commvault.com/11.24/expert/34599_restoring_sql_server_to_disk.html

 

Userlevel 4
Badge +14

Thank you all.

This is great news. I’ve not had to restore in this fashion before, so will test before I proceed.

 

Regards,
Mauro

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