Restoring a backup

You can restore a backup in multiple ways.

To restore a backup while removing databases from the availability group:

1. Log in to the primary replica using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
2. Go to Availability Groups > Availability Databases.
3. Remove the FCM and FCM_Default databases from the availability group. If using a custom site, remove the custom site.
4. Log in to the secondary replica. The databases are stuck in the restoration state. Delete the databases.
5. Log in to the primary EMS.
6. Go to Dashboard > Status.
7. Click Restore.
8. Browse to the backup file and proceed.
9. Once EMS completes the restoration, add the EMS databases to the availability group:
   1. Log in to the primary replica using SSMS.
   2. Under Always On High Availability, right-click Availability Databases and select Add Databases.
   3. On the Select Database page, enter the password that you configured in Installing EMS and configuring SQL always on HA (EMS 7.0.6 or older) for the EMS databases.
   4. Select the checkboxes beside the databases. Click Refresh, then select the checkboxes beside the databases. Click Next.
   5. On Connect to Replicas, connect to the other SQL Server instance previously joined as nodes with the Windows Server failover cluster. Click Next.
   6. For Data Synchronization, select the option that you used during EMS installation and setting up the availability group.
   7. Verify that the validated checks succeed. The databases are added to the availability group.

To restore a backup while removing the secondary replica from the availability group:

1. Log in to the primary replica using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
2. Go to Availability Groups > Availability Databases.
3. Right-click the secondary replica. Select Remove from Availability Group.
4. Log in to the secondary replica. The databases are stuck in the restoration state. Delete the databases.
5. Log in to the primary EMS.
6. Go to Dashboard > Status.
7. Click Restore.
8. Browse to the backup file and proceed.
9. Once EMS completes the restoration, add the secondary replica to the availability group:
   1. Log in to the primary replica using SSMS.
   2. Under Always On High Availability, right-click Availability Databases and select Add Replicas.
   3. Under Specify Replicas, select Add Replica, then Add. Enable Automatic Failover. For Availability Mode, select Synchronous commit. For Readable Secondary, select Yes. Click Next.
   4. On the Enter Passwords tab, enter the password for the EMS databases that you configured during installation. Click Next.
   5. For Data Synchronization, select the option that you used during EMS installation and setting up the availability group. The secondary replica is added to the availability group.