Restoring the entire server, including the SQL databases has the added benefit of recovering other applications and data that may have resided on the server at the time of failure, and can be accomplished using one of the following methods:

• Manual recovery of the Windows server, and then manual recovery of the SQL databases. This method involves manually restoring the Windows server from full system backups, and then recovering the SQL databases.

• The Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option. This option provides an automated method of restoring the Windows server as well as the SQL databases from full system backups.

  See About Microsoft SQL Server recovery notes.

To restore only the SQL databases, review the following:

• To restore only the SQL databases to a newly-installed or other available server, the server must be running on the same hardware platform (cross-platform restores are not supported), and the same version of SQL with the same service pack level as the original server.

• To restore SQL databases to an existing installation of SQL with other active databases, you should redirect the restore.