Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server is the recovery tool for restoring, publishing, instantly recovering, and exporting SQL Server databases or schema objects from Veeam restore points. The correct procedure depends first on whether the restore point came from an image-level backup, Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server, or an RDS backup. Identify that path, verify SQL Server and permission compatibility, then choose the target and recovery time before opening the restore wizard.
Identify your recovery path first
Veeam Backup & Replication build 13.1.1.18 can expose restore points from Veeam Backup & Replication backups, snapshot replicas, CDP replicas, VeeamZIP backups, storage snapshots, and backups made with Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server in managed or standalone mode. Those sources do not use identical requirements or data flows.
| Path | What to verify | Recovery considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Image-level Veeam backup | Supported SQL Server version and edition; Full or Bulk-logged recovery model when transaction-log replay is needed | Explorer uses the mount server and a temporary mounted filesystem during recovery |
| Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server | Supported SQL version and edition, plug-in backup availability in Veeam Backup & Replication, and transaction-log backups for point-in-time recovery | Uses the plug-in recovery service and deployed restore component |
| RDS backup | RDS-specific recovery service and deployed component requirements | Its data path differs from image-level recovery |
Veeam describes the product as allowing administrators to “restore, publish, instantly recover and export Microsoft SQL Server databases and schema objects from restore points created by Veeam Backup & Replication.”
Check SQL Server compatibility
Veeam Plug-In for Microsoft SQL Server
The plug-in requirements list SQL Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2017, 2016, and 2014 SP3. Supported editions are Standard, Developer, Web, and Enterprise. SQL Server Express Edition is not supported for this plug-in path.
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Image-level backups
The image-level list includes SQL Server 2025, 2022, 2019, and 2017 for Windows, plus SQL Server 2016 SP2, 2014 SP3, and 2012 SP4. All editions except LocalDB are supported. For transaction-log replay, the database must use the Full or Bulk-logged recovery model.
Record the exact SQL Server major version, service pack or cumulative-update context, edition, and recovery model rather than assuming that compatibility for one backup path applies to another.
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Confirm permissions and infrastructure
Explorer launch account
- On the Explorer machine, the account must belong to the local Administrators or Users group.
- In Veeam Backup & Replication, it needs the Backup Administrator or Restore Operator role, or a custom role that includes at least Manage restores, the Explorer restore option, and access to the target server and backup.
Target and staging SQL Server accounts
- Restore, publish, and instant recovery require local Administrators membership and SQL Server
sysadminrights on the target. - A connection to a staging SQL Server also requires
sysadmin. - Restore operations may require an available staging SQL Server; it is conditional on the recovery operation, not a universal prerequisite.
Prepare the network and service placement
Have the target instance reachable from the Explorer and mount-server components, and ensure enough free space for the database files and transaction logs. If Microsoft SQL Browser is not running and the instance uses a custom port, enter the server as hostname,port or IP-address,port.
How do I restore a SQL Server database with Veeam Explorer?
The following sequence uses the Explorer console. The product also provides an Explorer Web UI; labels can vary slightly, so confirm which interface and build you are using before documenting a runbook.
- Record the environment. Write down the Veeam Backup & Replication build, backup source (image-level, SQL plug-in, or RDS), SQL Server version and edition, intended target instance, and whether a staging SQL Server is available.
- Verify the restore point. Confirm that the required restore point is visible and accessible. For a plug-in backup, the backup job that created it must be present in Veeam Backup & Replication.
- Launch Explorer with an eligible account. Confirm the local group membership and Veeam role before the recovery window, not after the wizard fails.
- Open the restore operation and connect to SQL Server. Supply the server or instance name and database name. Choose the current account or enter supplied credentials. The SQL account used for the target connection must have
sysadmin. Current-account authentication is unavailable when Explorer and the mount server are on separate machines. - Select the restore point and recovery time. For a plug-in backup, choose a specific point in time only when the required SQL Server transaction-log backups exist. Without those logs, recovery stops at the selected restore point’s time.
- Choose the destination. Restore to the original server or another SQL Server. When restoring to a different server, perform the operation on the target server where the database will be placed, and verify that the target has the required rights and capacity.
- Review the operation. Check the database name, target instance, files, recovery time, overwrite or new-database choice, credentials, and any staging-server selection before starting.
- Validate the result. Confirm that the database starts as expected, required schema objects are present, and applications can connect. Record the resulting database state and recovery timestamp.
- Create a new full backup immediately. Veeam recommends a full backup after recovery so subsequent differential or transaction-log backups are based on the newly recovered full backup.
Can I restore a SQL database to another server?
Yes. Explorer can restore to the original SQL Server or another server, provided the destination is compatible and the account has the required local Administrator and SQL sysadmin permissions. For a different server, run the operation on that target server. If SQL Browser is unavailable, use the comma-port syntax described above. Plan for sufficient free space and, where the operation calls for it, an available staging SQL Server.
Can I restore to a point in time?
Point-in-time recovery is available for a plug-in restore when SQL Server transaction logs were backed up and are available to the operation. Select the required time in the wizard. If no suitable transaction-log backups exist, Explorer can restore only to the time represented by the restore point. Image-level transaction-log replay also depends on the database using the Full or Bulk-logged recovery model.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens during image-level recovery?
For an image-level restore, Explorer connects to the target and checks conditions such as whether the database already exists and whether enough free space is available. It sends the restore command to the Veeam Mount Service on the mount server associated with the repository. That service mounts the required filesystem under C:VeeamFLR on the target SQL Server. Deployed components copy database files and transaction logs from the mounted filesystem to the target’s native filesystem and start the restored database. After a successful restore, the mounted filesystem is unmounted.
This description applies only to image-level backups. Plug-in and RDS recoveries use a recovery service and deployed restore component, with different data paths; do not use the image-level sequence as a generic diagram for every restore source.
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- Backup source and deployed Veeam build are documented.
- SQL Server version, edition, and (for image-level log replay) recovery model are supported.
- The restore point is accessible; plug-in backups have their creating job present in Veeam Backup & Replication.
- The Explorer account has local group membership and the required Veeam role.
- The target and any staging SQL Server can be reached, and the SQL account has
sysadmin. - Database and log-file capacity is available.
- Transaction-log backups exist if a plug-in point-in-time restore is required.
- The post-restore full-backup job is ready to run.
The Bottom Line
Start by classifying the restore point, then validate the matching SQL compatibility, permissions, target connection, and recovery-time evidence. That preparation prevents the most common Explorer failures and lets you restore to the right server and point in time with a clean backup chain afterward.
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