VSS fast restore processing

A VSS fast restore operation restores data from a local snapshot. A VSS fast restore operation overwrites any files that exist at the time of the snapshot on the original source location. The file is overwritten with the version that is stored on the snapshot.

Important: Data is overwritten even if a file is marked read-only.
You can use VSS fast restore operations for the following tasks:
  • Restore SQL Server full and copy-only full backup types. You cannot restore differential, individual file groups, individual files, and set backups.
  • Restore data at the database level. However, for custom application and file system data, you can restore data at the file system level only. File overwriting occurs even if the file is marked read-only.
  • Restore SQL Server VSS backups to the same SQL Server instance.
  • Restore SQL Server VSS backups to an alternate location.
    • You can restore to a database with the same name on either an alternate SQL Server instance on the same server or to an instance on a different server by using the /fromsqlserver option. For local backups, you can restore only to alternate instances on the same server.
    • You can also restore to an alternate SQL Server instance on the same server or to an instance on a different server where the database does not exist by using the /relocateddir option.
  • Restore one or more databases or file systems from a VSS snapshot backup on local shadow volumes that are managed by IBM Spectrum Protect™ Snapshot.
  • For SQL Server, custom application, and file system data, restore the data in Microsoft Windows failover cluster environments.