Backup and Restore for Dedicated SQL Pools in Azure Synapse Analytics | Azure Synapse Tutorial

Backup and Restore for Dedicated SQL Pools in Azure Synapse Analytics

📘 Introduction

In Azure Synapse Analytics, Dedicated SQL Pools are automatically backed up by the platform, enabling you to restore to a point-in-time or clone for dev/test purposes. Understanding how to manage backups and perform restores is essential for business continuity and disaster recovery planning.

🔐 Backup Options in Synapse

• Automatic Backups: Handled by Azure. Includes full and incremental backups.
• User-Initiated Snapshots: Create on-demand restore points (preview feature).
• Geo-Redundant Backups: Synapse supports geo-backups across paired regions.

♻️ Restore Options

• Point-in-Time Restore: Restore a dedicated SQL pool to a past timestamp (within 7 days).
• Restore as New Pool: You cannot overwrite an existing pool. Instead, restore into a new name.

🛠️ Restore Example Using Portal

1. Navigate to your Synapse Workspace → Dedicated SQL Pools.
2. Select the pool you want to restore.
3. Click on Restore.
4. Select Restore Point (either point-in-time or snapshot).
5. Provide a new pool name and click Restore.

💡 Restore Use Cases

• Recover from accidental deletes or updates
• Clone production data for testing
• Validate changes before promoting them to prod

✅ Important Notes

• Backups are retained for 7 days by default.
• You cannot restore over the existing pool — always a new pool name is required.
• No need to configure backup — it's automatic and included in Synapse pricing.

📦 Alternative Options

If you need longer-term retention:

• Export table data to Parquet/CSV in Data Lake
• Use Azure Data Factory or Synapse Pipelines for automation

📈 Monitoring Restore Progress

You can track the restore operation in the Azure Portal under Notifications or by checking the status of the new dedicated SQL pool.

📺 Watch the Video Tutorial

📚 Credit: Content created with the help of ChatGPT and Gemini.