How to Recover Encrypted SQL Databases in SQL Server

Summary: Encrypted SQL databases on the server mark that your data is protected from unauthorized access. It is a guarantee that the data residing on the cloud server cannot move easily to another server. But what if users desire to recover encrypted SQL databases arise? It is an even more complex and difficult task to perform than restoring any SQL database. So, to resolve your issue of encrypted TDE databases restoration, we have created this blog. It provides complete details and an SysInfo SQL Decryptor Tool to recover database objects with high efficiency and speed. Download Now Purchase Now

Detailed TDE Overview

To restore the encrypted database in SQL Server, you need to first get to know about it. The Transparent Database Encryption, i.e., TDE, is an encryption method to protect and secure the disk data. DBAs use it to ensure unauthorized database access prevention. This feature handles automatic encryption and decryption of the data at the page level within a SQL database. During restoration, handling encryption keys is very important, and thus, working on the encrypted database is hard. Moreover, restoring it on another server is even harder.

Why Recover Corrupted Data from Encrypted Databases?

Recovering is essential when data or access credentials are lost, compromised, breached, or corrupted. Without appropriate recovery solutions, these encrypted databases may face the following issues:

• Data in the encrypted database becomes inaccessible.
• Downtime risks increase, and more chances of data breaches.
• Possibilities of financial losses and violations of compliance.
• Accidental deletion, ransomware attacks, and system failures.

Challenges to Recover Encrypted SQL Databases

To resolve the issue completely, users must overcome the following challenges faced during the process:

• Creating a backup of the encrypted TDE source database and recovering it on the target server.
• Compression of the encrypted data due to larger backup files and other storage problems.
• Managing many encryption keys that are needed for the recovery of the encrypted database.

Ideal Methods to Restore Encrypted SQL Database

In the following section, we will explore a manual procedure to troubleshoot and recover the encrypted SQL database with ease. But it can be a little lengthy and complex as you proceed. So, an expert tool is provided too as an alternative. Let’s see how to perform the steps to restore an encrypted database in SQL Server.

Manually Recover Encrypted SQL Databases

There are four phases involved in the complete TDE restoration in SQL Server. These are as follows:

Phase 1: Preparing Pre-Restore Needs

Before restoring to another database server, it is needed to build a destination environment. It includes setting up important database structures and configuring settings. The significant steps involved here are:

1. First, you need to execute the database creation process, i.e., create a new database in the target server. Keep the name and compatibility the same as the original server.
2. Next, perform the TDE configuration in the destination database and create encryption keys for the same. It is upto you to use the same encryption keys as for the source server or create new ones.
3. Finally, you need to maintain the necessary login and permissions for the users. (Those who wish to access the database on the target server.)

Once a suitable encrypted environment is created with TDE, proceed to the next step.

Phase 2: Recover Encrypted SQL Databases, But First Backup

It is mandatory and a needed step to create a backup for both the database and encryption keys. This ensures that the data is safe in case something goes wrong. The steps for backup are:

1. Backup the entire source database with all data and log files with precision.
2. Additionally, take a backup of the master encryption key and certificate used for database encryption. These keys help to restore the database on the target server after the encryption.

Note: Take backups regularly and prefer to store them at a safe location, probably offline.

Phase 3: Restore Complex Encrypted Database

This is the main section for the manual restoration, and its steps are:

1. Use the SSMS and T-SQL commands to restore the TDE database to another server.
2. Further, using the specified tools and commands, restore the encrypted database master encryption key and certificate.
3. Subsequently, proceed to enable TDE configuration for the restored encrypted database. Also, check that the encryption keys used with it are those associated with TDE.
4. Finally, perform database testing. It verifies that the recovered encrypted SQL databases are working and accessible with the encryption key on the new server.

During or after this manual restoration, some challenges can be encountered by the users. It is crucial to resolve and manage any issues for a safe and final restoration.

Phase 4: Troubleshooting Restore Encrypted SQL Database Issues

Though you take extreme care and precautions with proper planning for the restorations, some issues and errors can arise. These are discussed as follows, along with their appropriate solutions:

1. Problems with the database master key and certificate occur if not associated correctly with the restored database.
2. There is a possibility that inconsistencies in the database may arise. Fix it with the help of the DBCC CHECKDB command.
3. Furthermore, the restored database performance can be poor. So, to fix it, optimize the hardware configuration, database design, and TDE settings.
4. Also, you can face difficulties with the encryption key. For it, check the encryption solution documentation or take advice from expert DBA.
5. In case of database corruption or unintentional deletion, a backup is beneficial.

With all these major challenges, the restoration process can be delayed for a long time. Thus, we must find the right tools and alternative ways for recovery.

Recover Encrypted SQL Databases Using a Professional Tool

When you face a complex encrypted database whose restoration is a little trickier than others. Then, use the SQL Decryptor Tool to decrypt SQL Server databases as per your needs and requirements. The tool is highly compatible with all SQL versions and breaks the encryption on all SQL stored procedures, rules, triggers, etc. Additionally, with the tool, you can save the decrypted database in another database server or as scripts on the system. Moreover, any technical or non-technical user can run this without difficulty and data risks.

Steps to Restore Encrypted Database in SQL Server

1. First, install and run the SQL Database Decryptor Tool on the PC.
2. Then, add your Server Instance and choose a Login Mode to proceed.
3. Further, pick the database to decrypt from the drop-down menu and press Proceed.
4. Afterward, preview all the data present within it and select the folder to restore.
5. Press Save and pick an option to save data with or without encryption.
6. After that, choose to save in a new SQL Server database or as Scripts on the system.
7. Finally, click OK to completely restore the complex encrypted database in one go.

Conclusion

To sum up, every DBA understands that it is very necessary to recover encrypted SQL databases in SQL Server. In this blog, we learned all about the TDE, the reasons for recovery, and the challenges faced. Further, we discussed two ways for the recovery of encrypted databases, i.e., a manual and a professional. For a smooth and easy experience, use the professional tool and save your time, effort, cost, and hassle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Post