You are the database administrator of a SQL Server 2012 data warehouse implemented as a single database on a production server. The database is constantly updated by using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) packages and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) cube writeback operations.
The database uses the full recovery model. A backup strategy has been implemented to minimize data loss in the event of hardware failure.
SQL Server Agent jobs have been configured to implement the following backup operations:
A full database backup every day at 12:00 A.M.
Differential database backups every day at 6:00 A.M., 12:00 P.M., and 6:00 P.M.
Transaction log backups every hour on the hour.
At 2:38 P.M. a SSIS package corrupts the data in a fact table. The corruption cannot be undone.
You are notified at 3:15 P.M. You immediately take the database offline to prevent further data access and modification.
You need to restore the data warehouse and minimize downtime and data loss.
Which four actions should you perform in sequence? (To answer, move the appropriate actions from the list of actions to the answer area and arrange them in the correct order.
Select and Place:
Correct Answer:
Explanation/Reference:
Box 1:
Box 2:
Box 3:
Box 4:
Note:
* (box 1)
/ For a database using the full or bulk-logged recovery model, in most cases you must back up the tail of the log before restoring the database. Restoring a database without first backing up the tail of the log results in an error, unless the RESTORE DATABASE statement contains either the WITH REPLACE or the WITH STOPAT clause, which must specify a time or transaction that occurred after the end of the data backup.
/ If the database is online and you plan to perform a restore operation on the database, before starting the restore operation, back up the tail of the log using WITH NORECOVERY:
BACKUP LOG database_name TO <backup_device> WITH NORECOVERY
* To restore a database to a specific point in time or transaction, specify the target recovery point in a STOPAT, STOPATMARK, or STOPBEFOREMARK clause.
* (incorrect, box 4): The STOPBEFOREMARK and STOPATMARK options have two parameters, mark_name and lsn_number. The mark_name parameter, which identifies a transaction mark in a log backup, is supported only in RESTORE LOG statements.
The lsn_number parameter, which specifies a log sequence number, is supported in both
RESTORE DATABASE statements and RESTORE LOG statements.