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This article describes how to manage SQL Server streaming database and instance snapshot backups with Azure PowerShell. To configure backups or recover data, see Backup and Restore.
Prerequisites
- Install the latest Azure PowerShell module, including Az.RecoveryServices. Snapshot examples require support for
MSSQLInstance. - Have a registered SQL VM and protected database or instance. Review the SQL Server backup support matrix.
- Replace values in angle brackets. Sign in to the subscription that contains the vault and retrieve its object:
Connect-AzAccount
Select-AzSubscription -SubscriptionId "<vault-subscription-id>"
$vault = Get-AzRecoveryServicesVault -ResourceGroupName "<vault-rg>" -Name "<vault-name>"
Find SQL components and protected items
List protectable components
Discovery uses MSSQL to list SQL instances, availability groups, and databases. To select an instance, specify SQLInstance, its name, and its server:
Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectableItem -WorkloadType MSSQL -VaultId $vault.ID
$instance = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectableItem -WorkloadType MSSQL `
-ItemType SQLInstance -Name "<instance-name>" -ServerName "<vm-name>" `
-VaultId $vault.ID
List snapshot-protected instances
Use MSSQLInstance to retrieve protected instance items across the vault:
Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupItem -BackupManagementType AzureWorkload `
-WorkloadType MSSQLInstance -VaultId $vault.ID
To scope the lookup to one VM, select its container first. Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupItem doesn't have a -ServerName parameter:
$container = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupContainer -ContainerType AzureVMAppContainer `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -FriendlyName "<vm-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
$instanceItem = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupItem -Container $container `
-WorkloadType MSSQLInstance -Name "sqlinstance;<instance-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
Select a database item
Use MSSQL for a database item, including a database protected under an instance snapshot policy:
$databaseItem = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupItem -Container $container `
-WorkloadType MSSQL -Name "SQLDataBase;<instance-name>;<database-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
The following examples use $item for the protected item to manage. Choose one of the following assignments for the intended scope:
$item = $instanceItem
Or, for a database:
$item = $databaseItem
Monitor jobs
Backup and restore commands return a job ID. Use Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJobDetail to retrieve the job details:
Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJobDetail -JobId "<job-id>" -VaultId $vault.ID
To find in-progress workload jobs:
Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJob -Status InProgress `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -VaultId $vault.ID
For a supported cancellation, retrieve the job and pass it to Stop-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJob:
$job = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJob -JobId "<job-id>" -VaultId $vault.ID
Stop-AzRecoveryServicesBackupJob -Job $job -VaultId $vault.ID
For streaming SQL backups, PowerShell job tracking covers user-triggered operations. Use Azure Monitor for scheduled backup monitoring and backup alerts for failures.
Change an item's backup policy
Retrieve a policy that's compatible with the selected item's workload and protection type, and then enable protection by using the new policy. For a snapshot-protected instance, select an MSSQLInstance snapshot policy:
$targetPolicy = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -Name "<target-policy-name>" `
-VaultId $vault.ID
Enable-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtection -Item $item -Policy $targetPolicy -VaultId $vault.ID
To configure an instance's selected databases, use the snapshot protection example.
Edit an existing policy
Retrieve the policy and get schedule and retention objects for its workload type. This example uses a streaming database policy:
$policy = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -Name "<streaming-policy-name>" `
-VaultId $vault.ID
$schedule = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupSchedulePolicyObject -WorkloadType MSSQL
$retention = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupRetentionPolicyObject -WorkloadType MSSQL
$schedule.FullBackupSchedulePolicy.ScheduleRunTimes[0] = `
(Get-Date "2026-10-19T01:30:00Z").ToUniversalTime()
Review and customize the complete schedule and retention settings before applying them. Default policy objects can differ from the existing policy. Applying a policy change affects its associated backup items:
Set-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -Policy $policy `
-SchedulePolicy $schedule -RetentionPolicy $retention -VaultId $vault.ID
If the policy update fails for some items, investigate the failed jobs. After you resolve the cause, retry the inconsistent items:
Set-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectionPolicy -Policy $policy `
-FixForInconsistentItems -VaultId $vault.ID
For snapshot schedule and retention object examples, see Create a snapshot policy.
Stop protection
Confirm that $item is the database or instance you want before stopping protection. Stopping protection for an instance affects the databases protected through that instance.
Retain backup data
Stop scheduled backups while retaining existing recovery points:
Disable-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtection -Item $item -VaultId $vault.ID
The cmdlet prompts for confirmation. Add -Force only when your automation handles confirmation.
Delete backup data
Warning
The following command requests deletion of the selected item's recovery points. Verify the item and your retention requirements before continuing. Vault immutability and soft-delete settings can affect deletion behavior.
Disable-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtection -Item $item `
-RemoveRecoveryPoints -VaultId $vault.ID
Disable streaming autoprotection
List instances with autoprotection enabled, select the intended instance, and disable autoprotection for future databases:
Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectableItem -WorkloadType MSSQL -VaultId $vault.ID | `
Where-Object { $_.IsAutoProtected -eq $true }
$instance = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupProtectableItem -WorkloadType MSSQL `
-ItemType SQLInstance -Name "<instance-name>" -ServerName "<vm-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
Disable-AzRecoveryServicesBackupAutoProtection -InputItem $instance `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -WorkloadType MSSQL -VaultId $vault.ID
Re-register a SQL VM
Warning
Re-registration is a troubleshooting operation. Review re-registration failures before using it.
For a streaming SQL workload, retrieve the registered container and submit the re-registration:
$container = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupContainer -ContainerType AzureVMAppContainer `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -FriendlyName "<vm-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
Register-AzRecoveryServicesBackupContainer -Container $container `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -WorkloadType MSSQL -VaultId $vault.ID
Unregister a SQL VM
Unregister the VM only after all its databases and instances are no longer protected and no backup data remains. Unregistration applies to the whole VM application container, not one database:
$container = Get-AzRecoveryServicesBackupContainer -ContainerType AzureVMAppContainer `
-BackupManagementType AzureWorkload -FriendlyName "<vm-name>" -VaultId $vault.ID
Unregister-AzRecoveryServicesBackupContainer -Container $container -VaultId $vault.ID
The cmdlet prompts for confirmation. -Force skips confirmation; -PassThru returns the container object.
SQL Always On availability groups
Register every node of an availability group before discovering its SQL components. Discovery lists the availability group and its databases, along with each node's standalone SQL instances and databases. Use returned item and container names to distinguish availability group databases from node-local databases. For more information, see SQL Server availability group backups.