log backup and diferential backup question(scenario included)

  • lets say i take a full backup at 12:00 am.

    I take a tran log backup every 30 mins.

    At 4 am i take a differential backup.

    I need to restore the database at 4:45.

    My question is, as i took a differential backup at 4am, does this mean i dont need to restore the tran log backups between 12 and 4?

  • Yes. Your fastest restore sequence would be as follows:

    - restore full backup taken at 12:00 am

    - restore differential backup taken at 4:00 am

    - restore transaction log taken at 4:30 am

    SQL BAK Explorer - read SQL Server backup file details without SQL Server.
    Supports backup files created with SQL Server 2005 up to SQL Server 2017.

  • Don't forget the step to perform an immediate trans log backup as the last real trans log backup you have is at 4:30 so you can only recover to that point in time (so you'd be missing 15 minutes of activity). Now you you already have the 5:00 am translogs, then of course you won't need to accomplish another trans log backup because the one you have is already past the point in time recovery period. (although I would do one just in case).

    Good luck

    Marvin Dillard
    Senior Consultant
    Claraview Inc

  • thanks guys. exactly the information i needed.

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