How to back up and restore a server in Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Single Server using the Azure CLI
APPLIES TO: 
Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Single Server
Important
Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Single Server is on the retirement path. We strongly recommend that you upgrade to Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server. For more information about migrating to Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server, see What's happening to Azure Database for PostgreSQL Single Server?.
Azure Database for PostgreSQL servers are backed up periodically to enable Restore features. Using this feature you may restore the server and all its databases to an earlier point-in-time, on a new server.
Prerequisites
To complete this how-to guide:
You need an Azure Database for PostgreSQL server and database.
If you prefer to run CLI reference commands locally, install the Azure CLI. If you're running on Windows or macOS, consider running Azure CLI in a Docker container. For more information, see How to run the Azure CLI in a Docker container.
If you're using a local installation, sign in to the Azure CLI by using the az login command. To finish the authentication process, follow the steps displayed in your terminal. For other sign-in options, see Sign in with the Azure CLI.
When you're prompted, install the Azure CLI extension on first use. For more information about extensions, see Use extensions with the Azure CLI.
Run az version to find the version and dependent libraries that are installed. To upgrade to the latest version, run az upgrade.
This article requires version 2.0 or later of the Azure CLI.
Set backup configuration
You make the choice between configuring your server for either locally redundant backups or geographically redundant backups at server creation.
Note
After a server is created, the kind of redundancy it has, geographically redundant vs locally redundant, can't be switched.
While creating a server via the az postgres server create command, the --geo-redundant-backup parameter decides your Backup Redundancy Option. If Enabled, geo redundant backups are taken. Or if Disabled locally redundant backups are taken.
The backup retention period is set by the parameter --backup-retention-days.
For more information about setting these values during create, see the Azure Database for PostgreSQL server CLI Quickstart.
The backup retention period of a server can be changed as follows:
az postgres server update --name mydemoserver --resource-group myresourcegroup --backup-retention 10
The preceding example changes the backup retention period of mydemoserver to 10 days.
The backup retention period governs how far back in time a point-in-time restore can be retrieved, since it's based on backups available. Point-in-time restore is described further in the next section.
Server point-in-time restore
You can restore the server to a previous point in time. The restored data is copied to a new server, and the existing server is left as is. For example, if a table is accidentally dropped at noon today, you can restore to the time just before noon. Then, you can retrieve the missing table and data from the restored copy of the server.
To restore the server, use the Azure CLI az postgres server restore command.
Run the restore command
To restore the server, at the Azure CLI command prompt, enter the following command:
az postgres server restore --resource-group myresourcegroup --name mydemoserver-restored --restore-point-in-time 2018-03-13T13:59:00Z --source-server mydemoserver
The az postgres server restore command requires the following parameters:
| Setting | Suggested value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| resource-group | myresourcegroup | The resource group where the source server exists. |
| name | mydemoserver-restored | The name of the new server that is created by the restore command. |
| restore-point-in-time | 2018-03-13T13:59:00Z | Select a point in time to restore to. This date and time must be within the source server's backup retention period. Use the ISO8601 date and time format. For example, you can use your own local time zone, such as 2018-03-13T05:59:00-08:00. You can also use the UTC Zulu format, for example, 2018-03-13T13:59:00Z. |
| source-server | mydemoserver | The name or ID of the source server to restore from. |
When you restore a server to an earlier point in time, a new server is created. The original server and its databases from the specified point in time are copied to the new server.
The location and pricing tier values for the restored server remain the same as the original server.
After the restore process finishes, locate the new server and verify that the data is restored as expected. The new server has the same server admin login name and password that was valid for the existing server at the time the restore was initiated. The password can be changed from the new server's Overview page.
The new server created during a restore does not have the firewall rules or VNet service endpoints that existed on the original server. These rules need to be set up separately for this new server.
Geo restore
If you configured your server for geographically redundant backups, a new server can be created from the backup of that existing server. This new server can be created in any region that Azure Database for PostgreSQL is available.
To create a server using a geo redundant backup, use the Azure CLI az postgres server georestore command.
Note
When a server is first created it may not be immediately available for geo restore. It may take a few hours for the necessary metadata to be populated.
To geo restore the server, at the Azure CLI command prompt, enter the following command:
az postgres server georestore --resource-group myresourcegroup --name mydemoserver-georestored --source-server mydemoserver --location chinaeast2 --sku-name GP_Gen5_8
This command creates a new server called mydemoserver-georestored in China East 2 that will belong to myresourcegroup. It is a General Purpose, Gen 5 server with 8 vCores. The server is created from the geo-redundant backup of mydemoserver, which is also in the resource group myresourcegroup
If you want to create the new server in a different resource group from the existing server, then in the --source-server parameter you would qualify the server name as in the following example:
az postgres server georestore --resource-group newresourcegroup --name mydemoserver-georestored --source-server "/subscriptions/$<subscription ID>/resourceGroups/$<resource group ID>/providers/Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL/servers/mydemoserver" --location chinaeast2 --sku-name GP_Gen5_8
The az postgres server georestore command requires the following parameters:
| Setting | Suggested value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| resource-group | myresourcegroup | The name of the resource group the new server will belong to. |
| name | mydemoserver-georestored | The name of the new server. |
| source-server | mydemoserver | The name of the existing server whose geo redundant backups are used. |
| location | chinaeast2 | The location of the new server. |
| sku-name | GP_Gen5_8 | This parameter sets the pricing tier, compute generation, and number of vCores of the new server. GP_Gen5_8 maps to a General Purpose, Gen 5 server with 8 vCores. |
When creating a new server by a geo restore, it inherits the same storage size and pricing tier as the source server. These values cannot be changed during creation. After the new server is created, its storage size can be scaled up.
After the restore process finishes, locate the new server and verify that the data is restored as expected. The new server has the same server admin login name and password that was valid for the existing server at the time the restore was initiated. The password can be changed from the new server's Overview page.
The new server created during a restore does not have the firewall rules or VNet service endpoints that existed on the original server. These rules need to be set up separately for this new server.
Next steps
- Learn more about the service's backups
- Learn about replicas
- Learn more about business continuity options