Restoring Database Backups

The RESTORE DATABASE utility returns a damaged or inconsistent database to the same state as at the end of the first implicit CHECKPOINT of the backup you restored. Restore backups in the correct order, using a separate RESTORE command for each backup.

When you restore from a full backup, every block in use at the time the backup is written to disk. When you restore from an incremental backup, only the blocks that change between the previous backup (or the previous full backup) and this backup are written to disk. During an incremental restore, RESTORE DATABASE creates and drops dbspaces as needed to match the period of operation encompassed by the restores.

Unless specifically noted, instructions pertain to the RESTORE DATABASE utility that is distributed as part of SAP Sybase IQ. For third-party APIs, refer to the third-party product documentation for archive_device strings and other information.

• Database Restore
  Interactive SQL supports two RESTORE DATABASE syntax variations.
• Verifying Database Backups
  The RESTORE VERIFY and RESTORE... VERIFY COMPATIBLE options validate the archived backups against the database and write the results to the server log. The backup verification process can run on a host other than the database host.
• Displaying Header Information
  The RESTORE... CATALOG ONLY option reads only the backup header from the archive, and writes the results to the backup log in the same format as the log entry. RESTORE... CATALOG ONLY does not restore any data, either from the catalog store or the IQ store.
• Restoring to Raw Devices
  To restore a backup to a raw device, the device must be large enough to hold both the dbspace and the space reserved for the operating system.
• Restoring Cache Dbspaces
  If your installation uses the cache dbspace for direct-attached storage, preserve any files that were added to the cache dbspace before restoring the database.
• Moving Database Files
  Redirect the catalog, or use the RENAME clause to move the database to a new location on the file system.
• Restoring Multiplex Stores
  Run RESTORE DATABASE commands only on the coordinator node. You cannot run RESTORE operations against a secondary server. Before you restore, contact Technical Support to verify that a restore operation is necessary.
• Error Recovery
  Solutions to common RESTORE errors.