# Microsoft SQL Server

You can use Commvault to back up and restore Microsoft SQL Server databases.

## Backups

### Data you can back up

- Database

- Log files

### Backups you can perform

- Block-level backups

- Differential backups

- Full backups

- Full backups, using IntelliSnap

- IntelliSnap backup copy

- Transaction log backups

### Backup behavior in plans

When you configure a backup plan, an incremental schedule for Microsoft SQL Server databases runs differential backups, not transaction log backups. Incremental schedules do not capture transaction logs. To capture transaction log backups, you must configure a transaction log backup schedule in the plan.

### When you can perform backups

- On a schedule: The backup plan that you assign manages scheduled backups

- On demand: You can perform on-demand backups at any time

## Restores

### Backups you can use for restores

- The most recent backup, for example, restore the most recent backup to its original location

- A backup from a specific date, for example, restore data to a point in time before it became unusable

- Backups from a date range, for example, restore data that was accidentally deleted

### Destinations you can restore to

- The current location (in place)

- A different client, instance, or database name

- A disk

- Azure SQL Database

- Azure SQL Database Managed Instance

## SQL portability

You can perform the following cross-server restore operations.

Source | Windows | Linux | Azure SQL | Azure Managed Instance | AWS
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Linux | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Azure SQL | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No
Azure Managed Instance | No | No | No | Yes | No
AWS | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes

## Instant clones

You can use the cloning feature to create a copy of a database for testing by using a full IntelliSnap backup, application-aware backup, or block-level backup. The system automatically shuts down the clone database and frees resources when the reservation period expires.

## Automatic Discovery of Applications

You can use the Enable auto discover option to automatically find SQL databases in your environment and install software to back up the SQL databases. For more information, see Configuring a SQL Failover Cluster.

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