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    Data Management:Logically back up and restore an RDS SQL Server database

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    Data Management:Logically back up and restore an RDS SQL Server database

    Last Updated:Mar 30, 2026

    Data Disaster Recovery (DBS) backs up ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server databases at the table, database, or multi-database level, and supports features such as geo-redundancy and long-term archiving. This topic describes how to configure a logical backup schedule and restore a database to a specific point in time.

    Prerequisites

    Before you begin, ensure that you have:

    • A backup schedule purchased with Data Source Type set to SQL Server and Backup Method set to Logical Backup. For instructions, see Create a backup schedule

    • A database account with read-only permissions (for backup) or read/write permissions (for backup and restoration) on the ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance. For required permissions by account type, see Required permissions for different types of database accounts

    • (For OSS storage only) An OSS bucket in Standard storage class, created in advance. For instructions, see Create buckets

    Usage notes

    You cannot configure two or more backup schedules for an ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server database. Otherwise, restoration exceptions occur.

    Configure a backup schedule

    1. Log on to the Data Management (DMS) console V5.0.

    2. In the top navigation bar, choose Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Backup Plan.

      In simple mode, move the pointer over the 2023-01-28_15-57-17.png icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Backup Plan.

    3. On the Backup Schedules page, find the backup schedule to configure and click Configure Backup Schedule in the Actions column.

    4. In the Configure Backup Source and Destination step, set the parameters described in the following tables and click Next.

      If you select OSS For User, also configure the OSS Bucket Name parameter. For large data volumes, a subscription storage plan is more cost-efficient than pay-as-you-go billing.

      Backup source

      Parameter Description
      Schedule Name The name of the backup schedule. An auto-generated name is provided — enter a descriptive name to make it easier to identify. Names do not need to be unique.
      Backup Mode The backup method selected at purchase. This example uses Logical Backup.
      Database Location The deployment location of the source database. Select RDS Instance.
      Instance Region The region where the source database resides.
      RDS Instance ID The ID of the ApsaraDB RDS instance.
      Database Account The username of the account used to connect to the source database.
      Password The password of the account. After entering the credentials, click Test Connection to verify. If the connection fails, click Check next to Test Failed and adjust the settings based on the results.
      Compliance warranty regarding cross-border data transfers Select the check box to agree to the compliance commitment.

      Backup destination

      Parameter Description
      Backup Storage Type Where backup data is stored. DBS Storage (recommended): data is stored in Data Disaster Recovery and charged by volume. OSS For User: data is stored in an OSS bucket you own; only Standard storage class is supported. For pricing details, see Pricing.
      Storage Encryption How backup data is encrypted. Encrypted (recommended): AES-256 encryption with OSS server-side encryption — data is encrypted on upload and decrypted on download. Non-encrypted: backups are stored without encryption.

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    5. In the Edit Backup Objects step, find the database or table to back up in the Available section, click the arrow to move it to the Selected section, and click Next.

      - DBS supports backing up a single table, a single database, or multiple databases. Click Select All in the Available section to select all databases. For supported backup objects by database type, see Supported database types and features. - Databases created after the backup schedule is set up are not included by default. To add them, update the backup objects on the Configure Task page. For instructions, see Modify backup objects.

    6. In the Configure Backup Time step, set the parameters described in the following table and click Next.

      Parameter Description
      Full-scale Backup Frequency Periodic Backup: runs on a recurring schedule. Single Backup: runs once.
      Full Data Backup Recurrence The days of the week to run the backup. Select at least one day. (Required for Periodic Backup only.)
      Start At The start time for the backup. Set this to an off-peak period — for example, 01:00. If a previous backup is still running when the next one is scheduled to start, the next backup is skipped.
      Incremental Backup Not supported for SQL Server databases.
      Maximum Concurrent Threads for Full Data Backup The number of concurrent threads for full backup. Reduce this value to minimize the impact on database performance.

    7. In the Edit Lifecycle step, set the retention period for full backup data in the Configure Full Data Backup Lifecycle section. Backup sets can be retained for 7 to 3,650 days. After the retention period expires, the backup set is automatically deleted.

    8. Click Precheck in the lower-right corner.

    9. When Precheck Passed appears, click Start Task. The backup schedule is active when its status changes to Running.

      If the backup schedule fails to start, see How do I fix errors for an abnormal backup schedule? for troubleshooting steps. If the issue persists, contact technical support in the DingTalk group (ID: 35585947).

    Restore a database

    The following steps restore a database to a specific point in time within the restorable time range. DBS supports restoration at the database level and the table level. Table-level restoration reduces the data volume and shortens the recovery time objective (RTO).

    1. Log on to the DMS console V5.0.

    2. In the top navigation bar, choose Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Backup Plan.

      In simple mode, move the pointer over the 2023-01-28_15-57-17.png icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Backup Plan.

    3. On the Backup Schedules page, find the backup schedule and click Manage in the Actions column.

    4. On the Configure Task page, click Restore Database in the upper-right corner.

    5. In the Set Time Restored To step, set the parameters described in the following tables and click Next.

      Restore point

      Parameter Description
      Task Name The name of the restore task. An auto-generated name is provided — enter a descriptive name to identify the task. Names do not need to be unique.
      Time Range Available to Restore The restorable time range: from the first full backup set to the most recent full backup set.
      Restore To The point in time to restore to. Must fall within the Time Range Available to Restore.

      Destination database

      Parameter Description
      Database Location The deployment location of the destination database. Select RDS Instance.
      Instance Region The region where the destination instance resides. Not shown when Database Location is set to User-Created Database with Public IP Address.
      RDS Instance ID The ID of the ApsaraDB RDS for SQL Server instance to restore to. Required when Database Location is set to RDS Instance.
      Database Account The username of the account used to connect to the destination database. The account must have write permissions.
      Password The password of the account.
      Compliance warranty regarding cross-border data transfers Select the check box to agree to the compliance commitment.

      image

    6. In the Configure Objects to Restore step, set the parameters described in the following table and click Precheck.

      Parameter Description
      Conflict Handling Specifies how to handle name conflicts. Default: Rename Object with the Same Name — if a restored object shares a name with an existing one, the restored object is renamed as <original_name>_dbs_<restore task ID>_<timestamp>.
      Objects to Restore Select the database or table to restore in the Available section and click the arrow to move it to the Selected section. For supported restoration granularity by database type, see Supported database types and features.

    7. When Precheck Passed appears, click Start Task. To monitor progress, click Restore Tasks in the left-side navigation pane.

      Restoration time depends on the backup schedule specifications and database size. Higher-specification backup schedules complete restorations faster. For performance benchmarks, see Performance tests on logical backup and physical backup.

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