SQL Server availability feature overview

This section will provide an overview of the availability features in SQL Server 2019. All of the features described in this section are supported using physical or virtualized servers (virtual machines, or VMs), whether those VMs are on-premises running under a traditional hypervisor or up in the public cloud as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Other platform-based features, such as those provided by a hypervisor, are often part of an overall availability strategy for SQL Server but are outside the scope of this chapter.

Backup and restore

The cornerstone of any business continuity plan is a solid backup strategy with tested restores. In other words, the backup and restore feature is the most basic form of availability in any edition of SQL Server. No matter what else you implement, be it one of the built-in features of SQL Server or some third-party utility, ensure this key component of business continuity is implemented properly...