Need help recovering accidentally deleted Azure SQL Server, database, and resource group (Azure for Students)

Question

I accidentally deleted my Azure SQL Server, SQL database, and the entire resource group from my Azure for Students subscription.

Details:

• Server name: risu_dev

Database name: risu_frame

Region: Central India

Subscription type: Azure for Students

Deletion happened within the last 7 days

I have NOT recreated a new server with the same name

I understand that restoring a dropped SQL server is not officially supported, but Azure documentation mentions recovery attempts may still be possible within 7 days.

Since Azure for Students does not provide direct technical support, I would like guidance from Microsoft moderators or engineers on whether backend recovery is still possible and what steps I should take next.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Recovery of the deleted resource group itself is not possible. A deleted resource group cannot be restored.

For the Azure SQL logical server and database, recovery depends on two conditions:

1. Whether soft delete for logical servers was configured
   • If soft delete retention was configured on the logical server before deletion, the server enters a soft-deleted state for 1–7 days (depending on the configured soft-delete-retention-days).
   • During this retention period, the logical server can be restored using the Azure portal, PowerShell, or Azure CLI.
   • After restoring the logical server, databases that are still within their backup retention period can be restored from backups.
   To restore a soft-deleted logical server (if soft delete was enabled):
   • Azure portal:
     1. Go to the Azure SQL hub in the Azure portal.
     2. Under Azure SQL Database, select SQL logical servers.
     3. Select Restore in the command bar to open Restore deleted server.
     4. Choose the correct Subscription and Location (Central India).
     5. Select the deleted server from the Deleted server dropdown.
     6. Select Restore. The server is restored with the same name and configuration as at deletion time.
   • Azure CLI:

          az sql server restore \
             --name risu_dev \
             --resource-group <resource-group-name> \
             --location centralindia
     

   • PowerShell:

          Restore-AzSqlServer `
             -ServerName risu_dev `
             -ResourceGroupName <resource-group-name> `
             -Location centralindia
     

   After the server is restored, restore the deleted database (if within retention):
   • Azure portal: on the server, use Deleted databases to select and restore risu_frame.
   • PowerShell: use Get-AzSqlDeletedDatabaseBackup and Restore-AzSqlDatabase -FromDeletedDatabaseBackup.
2. If soft delete for logical servers was not configured
   • If the logical server did not have soft delete enabled (or soft-delete-retention-days was 0), then once the server is deleted it cannot be recovered.
   • When a server is deleted without soft delete, its databases and their PITR backups on that server are also deleted and cannot be restored from PITR.
   • In this case, only long-term retention (LTR) backups, if previously configured, could be used to restore databases to a different server. The context provided does not include LTR-specific recovery steps for this scenario.

Because the subscription is Azure for Students and does not include standard technical support, but backend recovery (if possible) is handled only by Microsoft support engineers, the only escalation path in the documentation is to open an Azure support case and request investigation of whether the deleted resources can be restored. The documentation notes:

• A deleted resource group cannot be recovered.
• Some resource types support soft delete and may be restorable.
• A support engineer must investigate and advise whether recovery is possible.

If soft delete was enabled and the deletion is within the configured retention window (1–7 days), use the portal/CLI/PowerShell steps above to attempt self-service restore. If the server does not appear in the soft-deleted list and cannot be restored with az sql server restore or Restore-AzSqlServer, then only Azure Support can confirm whether any backend recovery is still possible.

---

References:

• Restore a deleted logical server in Azure SQL Database (preview)
• Restore a database from a backup in Azure SQL Database
• Azure Resource Manager resource group and resource deletion
• Accidentally Deleted Resource Group - Microsoft Q&A
• How to recover deleted sql server - Microsoft Q&A

Answer 2

Hello **Patel jarnil

**To restore a deleted logical server in the Azure portal:

1. Go to the Azure SQL hub in the Azure portal.
2. Under Azure SQL Database, select SQL logical servers to open the SQL logical servers pane.
3. On the SQL logical servers pane, select Restore from the command bar to open the Restore deleted server pane:
   1. Select the Subscription from the dropdown list.
      1. Select the Location of the deleted server from the dropdown list.
         1. Select a Deleted server from the dropdown list. The dropdown shows all soft-deleted servers available to restore within their specified retention period.
         2. Select Restore to restore the deleted server. The restored server has the same name and configuration as the deleted server. It's restored to its original state at the time of deletion. After the restore operation completes, the server is available in the list of active servers in the Azure portal.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/deleted-logical-server-restore?view=azuresql&tabs=azure-portal#restore-a-soft-deleted-logical-server

Answer 3

Hi,

In Azure portal, please navigate to list of Azure SQL logical servers using link below:

https://portal.azure.com/#servicemenu/SqlAzureExtension/AzureSqlHub/DatabaseServer

At top, click Restore

Select your subscription, select Central India for Location, select your Deleted server, click Restore.

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP