Restore DB using Differential backups?

Question

Hello, say I have a Full DB backup that runs once on Sunday.

I then have Differential backups for this same DB that runs once every other days of the week (Mon to Sat, not Sunday since Full backup is scheduled).

If I want to restore this DB do I need to first do a restore using the Full Sunday's backup and then restore all Differential backups or can I jump to last Differential backup using Saturday's?

Am wondering if say Wed Differential backup got deleted/corrupted would that mean I can only restore Differential using Tuesday's?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hi @techresearch7777777 ,

you need to restore:

• First restore the latest full db backup
• Second restore just the last differential backup

Just to clarify:
A differential backup contains all the modified data since the last full backup. The differential backups from Monday to Saturday should increase in size.
There is another backup typ called "incremental backup" which contains all the modified data since the last full backup, differential or the the last incremental backup.

To restore a db using incremental backups the order is:

• First restore the latest full db backup
• Restore all incremental backups in the right order (oldest to newest)

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 2

Interesting, good to know.

Thanks much AndreasBaumgarten for your quick reply and easy clarification.