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22 TR1081 | Microsoft SQL Server Database Protection Using EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager / Microsoft Edition
6.2 In-Place database restore
Assuming the database file layout has followed the best practices guidelines, this restore is useful for
performing a fast point-in-time restore of SQL Server databases. The Smart Copy options that can be
applied for an in-place SQL Server database restore are:
 Restore All
 Restore selected database
When all the original database files reside on their own volumes, the Restore All operation should be used
for the fastest restore operation. The restore process takes the original database and volume offline,
restores the database back to the time of the Smart Copy, and brings the volume and database back
online to the host and SQL Server. At the same time, the PS Series group creates an additional snapshot of
the database volume state before restoring the Smart Copy. This snapshot appears offline in the PS Series
Group Manager GUI and can be used for debugging problems that may have caused the database
corruption or failure.
When the original database files share volumes with other databases, the Restore selected database
operation should be used to restore an individual database. The Restore selected database operation
performs a data movement operation on the SAN to restore only the selected database files. This
operation protects the other databases or applications that may have files on the same volume.
Essentially, the restore process automatically invokes a Selective Restore of the chosen database. For
more information on selective restore, see the Selective Restore of SQL Server Databases later in this
section.
Note: The Restore All operation bypasses the selective restore and replaces the original database volume
with the contents of the Smart Copy regardless of database file sharing.
The in-place database restore has two options as shown in Figure 12:
Fully recover – This option fully restores the database with the Smart Copy and brings the database online
to users at completion.
Apply Logs – This option restores the database to the time of the Smart Copy but leaves the database in a
“restoring” state so that log file backups can be applied for additional point-in-time granularity.