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Setup Guide: Restore SQL Database in Azure

Overview

This guide explains how to restore a SQL database in Microsoft Azure using the Azure Portal.
It covers prerequisites, architecture, step-by-step instructions, verification, and common issues.

Audience: Cloud administrators, database administrators, and support engineers
Skill Level: Beginner–Intermediate

Prerequisites

  • An active Azure subscription
  • Access to the Azure Portal with sufficient permissions
  • An existing Azure SQL Server instance
  • A database backup available (automated backup, geo-redundant, or long-term retention)

Architecture at a Glance

Key Concepts

  • Backups are stored in Azure-managed storage.
  • Restore creates a new database; it does not overwrite the source.
  • Point-in-time restore (PITR) is typically fastest.
  • Geo-restore and Long-term retention (LTR) restores can take longer, depending on size and region.

Flow Diagram

flowchart LR
    A[Automated / LTR Backups] -->|Point-in-time / Geo / LTR| B[(Azure Backup Storage)]
    B --> C[Azure Portal: Restore]
    C --> D{Choose Restore Type}
    D -->|Point-in-time| E[Create New Database<br/>(Same Server or Different Server)]
    D -->|Geo-restore| E
    D -->|Long-term retention| E
    E --> F[(Deployed Restored DB)]
    F --> G[Validate: Portal, SSMS, Azure Data Studio]

Sequence Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    actor U as User (Portal)
    participant P as Azure Portal
    participant R as Restore Service
    participant S as Azure SQL Server
    participant B as Backup Storage

    U->>P: Open DB > Restore
    P->>R: Submit restore request<br/>(type + time + target)
    R->>B: Read backup/restore point
    R->>S: Provision new database
    S-->>R: New DB ready
    R-->>P: Deployment complete
    U->>S: Connect via SSMS/Azure Data Studio

Steps

1) Sign in to Azure

2) Locate the Source Database

  • In the left menu, select SQL databases.
  • Click the database you want to restore.

3) Start a Restore

  • On the database Overview page, select Restore.
  • Choose the restore source:
  • Point-in-time (from automated backups)
  • Geo-restore (from geo-redundant backup)
  • Long-term retention (LTR) (from archived backups)

4) Configure Restore Options

  • Enter a new database name (must be unique).
  • Select the target server and resource group.
  • (Optional) Adjust compute/storage tier for the restored DB.

5) Deploy the Restore

  • Click Review + create → Create.
  • Wait for the deployment to complete (time varies by size/type).

Verification

  1. In SQL databases, confirm the restored database appears.
  2. Connect using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or Azure Data Studio.
  3. Validate schema and data (spot-check key tables).

Common Issues & Fixes

  • “Database name already exists.” → Use a unique name for the restored database.
  • Insufficient permissions. → Ensure your account has Contributor or SQL DB Contributor role.
  • Restore seems slow. → Large DBs, geo-restores, or LTR restores can take hours depending on region/size.
  • Cannot connect after restore. → Update firewall rules on the SQL Server to allow your client IPs.

References