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This guide reflects Veeam Backup & Replication build 13.1.1.18 documentation, including updates published through August 13, 2026. Confirm the documentation for your deployed build before following a production procedure.
What Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server does
Veeam describes Explorer as a tool to “restore, publish, instantly recover and export Microsoft SQL Server databases and schema objects from restore points created by Veeam Backup & Replication.” The current guide covers restore points from Veeam Backup & Replication backups, snapshot and CDP replicas, VeeamZIP backups, storage snapshots, and backups made with Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server in managed or standalone mode. See the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server guide.
The first decision is not which wizard button to click; it is which recovery path created the backup. Compatibility, permissions, and restore mechanics vary by source. Amazon RDS recovery is another distinct path and should not be treated as identical to restoring a database from an image-level or SQL plug-in backup.
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Which SQL Server restore path applies?
| Backup path | Compatibility and recovery considerations | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Image-level Veeam backup | Veeam lists SQL Server 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2017 on Windows, plus SQL Server 2016 SP2, 2014 SP3, and 2012 SP4. All editions except LocalDB are supported. Transaction-log replay requires the database to use the Full or Bulk-logged recovery model. | The documented restore flow uses Veeam Mount Service and a mounted filesystem on the target. These details are specific to image-level recovery. |
| Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server backup | Veeam lists SQL Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2017, 2016, and 2014 SP3, with Standard, Developer, Web, and Enterprise editions. SQL Server Express Edition is not supported for this plug-in path. | Point-in-time restore depends on available SQL Server transaction-log backups. Without them, restore is to the restore-point time. |
| Amazon RDS backup | The cited guide identifies RDS as a supported recovery source; the compatibility details above are for image-level and SQL plug-in paths, not a universal RDS compatibility statement. | RDS uses a recovery service and deployed restore component; do not assume the image-level filesystem-mount procedure applies. |
Version and edition support can change between Veeam builds. Check the system requirements for Veeam Explorer for the build and backup type you actually use.
What to confirm before you start
Record the environment
- Veeam Backup & Replication build and backup source: image-level, SQL plug-in, or RDS.
- SQL Server version and edition, plus the target server or instance.
- Whether a staging SQL Server is available. Veeam says a staging server may be required for some restore operations; it is not a universal prerequisite.
- Which interface you will use. The guide documents both the Explorer console and Explorer Web UI; the permission details below describe the console launch and restore requirements.
Confirm the restore point is accessible
Locate the required restore point and ensure the account can access its backup. For a plug-in backup, Veeam’s restore guidance says the backup job that created it must be present in Veeam Backup & Replication. Review the SQL Server database restore guidance for your backup type.
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Check roles and SQL permissions
For the Explorer console, the launch account must belong to the local Administrators or Users group on the Explorer machine and have the Backup Administrator or Restore Operator role on the backup server. A custom role must include at least Manage restores, the Explorer restore option, and access to the relevant target server and backup.
Restore, publish, and instant recovery require local Administrators membership and the SQL Server sysadmin role on the target. Connecting a staging SQL Server also requires sysadmin there. See Veeam’s permissions reference.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
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- The available storage capacity may vary.
How do I restore a SQL Server database with Veeam Explorer?
Use the steps below as a preparation and decision sequence, not as a substitute for the procedure specific to your backup path and Veeam build. The exact launch and wizard options vary between image-level, plug-in, and RDS recovery.
- Identify the backup and deployed build. Confirm whether the restore point comes from an image-level backup, the SQL plug-in, or RDS, then check its compatibility against the relevant Veeam requirements.
- Open the appropriate Explorer workflow. Use the console or Web UI procedure documented for that backup type. Verify that the restore point is visible and accessible before proceeding.
- Choose the target deliberately. The restore wizard uses a server or instance name and a database name and supports current-account or supplied credentials. The target SQL account needs sysadmin. If Microsoft SQL Browser is not running and the SQL instance uses a custom port, specify the host name or IP address followed by a comma and the port number.
- Select the recovery point or time. For SQL plug-in backups, a specific point in time is available when the required SQL Server transaction logs were backed up. Without those logs, the restore goes to the restore-point time. For other backup types, use the recovery choices documented for that path.
- Review destination and operation before confirming. You can restore to the original or another server. For a different server, perform the operation on the target server where the database will be placed. Confirm the selected database, destination, and recovery time before starting.
- Validate the recovered database and establish a new backup base. Check that the database is available on the intended instance. Veeam recommends creating a full backup immediately after restoring so subsequent differential or transaction-log backups are based on the new full backup.
Current-account authentication is unavailable when Explorer and the mount server are on separate machines. Use credentials supported by the workflow in that topology, and verify their permissions in advance.
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Can I restore a SQL database to another server?
Yes. Veeam’s restore guidance allows restoring to the original server or to another server. For a different destination, run the operation on the server where the database will be placed and confirm that the target connection uses the intended instance. The target requires the permissions described above. A staging SQL Server may also be needed depending on the recovery operation, so check the requirements for the specific backup source rather than assuming it is always required.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can I restore to a point in time?
For a backup made with Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server, point-in-time recovery depends on SQL Server transaction-log backups being available. If they are not, Veeam restores to the time represented by the restore point. Do not interpret the existence of a database restore point alone as proof that every intervening time is recoverable. Consult the restore guidance for the source and recovery options in use.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
How image-level recovery works
For image-level recovery, Explorer connects to the target and checks conditions such as whether the database already exists and whether enough free space is available. It sends the restore command to Veeam Mount Service on the mount server associated with the repository. The service mounts the required filesystem under C:VeeamFLR on the target SQL Server. Deployed components then copy database files and transaction logs to the target’s native filesystem and start the restored database. After a successful restore, the mounted filesystem is unmounted.
This is the image-level data path only. SQL plug-in and RDS recovery use a recovery service and deployed restore component, with different data paths; the image-level mount sequence should not be generalized to those operations. The process is described in Veeam’s how restore works documentation.
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