Database Disaster Recovery lets you restore specific databases and tables to the original instance or a new ApsaraDB RDS instance—based on a backup set or a point in time—without restoring the entire database. Use this feature to correct data after accidental operations or to extract historical data for analysis.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure that:
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The source instance is in Running state
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A backup set has been successfully created for the source instance. To create one, see Purchase a backup instance or Manually initiate a backup task
Limitations
You cannot restore backup data to an ApsaraDB RDS instance in a different region.
Billing
The restore feature is free. If you restore data to a new ApsaraDB RDS instance, you are charged for that instance based on the instance type and storage space selected. Check your bill for the actual charges.
Choose a restore mode
Before you start, decide which restore mode fits your situation:
| Restore mode | When to use |
|---|---|
| By backup set | Restore to a known good backup. Select a valid backup set from the available list. |
| By point in time | Restore to a specific moment within the last 30 days. Log backup is enabled by default and cannot be disabled; log backup sets are retained for 30 days. |
Create a restore task
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Log on to the DMS console V5.0.
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In the top navigation bar, choose Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source.
In simple mode, move the pointer over the
icon in the upper-left corner and choose All Features > Security and Specifications (DBS) > Disaster Recovery for Data (DBS) > Disaster Recovery Data Source. -
In the top navigation bar, select a region. Click the ID of the data source you want to manage to go to its details page.
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For an Alibaba Cloud database: choose Backup Data > Logical Backup, then click Create Restore Task.
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For a self-managed database on an Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance, an on-premises database, or a third-party cloud database (automatically backed up): go to the Backup Data page and click Create Restore Task.
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Set the restore destination and mode, then click Next.
Parameter Description Task name A descriptive name to identify the task. Names do not need to be unique. Restore to Original instance: Restore databases and tables to the original instance. New instance (RDS): The system creates a new ApsaraDB RDS instance (configured in step 5) and restores data there. Restore mode By backup set: Select a valid backup set to restore from. By point in time: Select a point in time within the available restore window. The window starts at the backup set's restore point and ends at the current time, and cannot span more than 30 days. -
If you selected New instance (RDS) in step 4, configure the new instance:
Parameter Description Database location Set to RDS by default and cannot be changed. Instance region Same as the original instance's region and cannot be changed. VPC The virtual private cloud (VPC) for the new instance. To create a VPC, see Create and manage a VPC. Instance specifications Select from the available specifications in the Data Disaster Recovery console. Choose specifications equal to or higher than the original instance to avoid data loss or an unusable instance. Storage space Select from the available sizes. To make sure enough space is available: choose storage larger than 1.3 times the original instance's storage, or 5–6 times the DBS full backup set size (DBS compresses backup data). View the backup set size on the Backup Data page of the source instance; for ApsaraDB instances, also check the Logical Backup tab. -
Select the databases and tables to restore, then click Submit.
Parameter Description Objects to restore In the Source objects section, select the databases and tables you want. Click the 
icon to move them to Selected objects. Click Edit to adjust the selection.Conflict handling Defaults to Rename object with the same name. If a table in the destination has the same name as a table being restored, DBS renames the restored table in the format: job_info_dbs_<restore task ID>_<timestamp>. -
Wait for the precheck to complete, then click Start in the Precheck dialog box.
Monitor restore progress
Go to Task Management > Restore Tasks to check the status of your restore task.
Restore time depends on the backup instance specifications and the data volume—higher specifications and smaller data volumes result in faster restores. For benchmark data, see Performance tests on backup and restoration.
If you restored to a new ApsaraDB RDS instance, allow approximately 5–10 minutes for the instance to be created. After the restore task completes, find the new instance in the ApsaraDB RDS console.
What to do next
After the restore task completes, connect to the restored instance to verify the data. See Use a client or the CLI to connect to an ApsaraDB RDS for MySQL instance.
Troubleshooting
Restore task fails
Check the two most common causes:
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Insufficient permissions: The database account authorized in Database Backup (DBS) lacks the permissions needed to restore the specified databases or tables. Verify the account's permissions against the required list in Account permissions. To authorize the account, see Authorize the database account.
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Network issue: The server hosting the target database has a network problem. Check the server's network configuration and resolve any issues found. If the problem persists, join the DingTalk support group (ID: 35585947) for assistance.