I have a db in SIMPLE recovery model, and regularly take FULL,DIFF backups.
This db also have filegroups for each month. Each filegroup has exactly one NDF file.
Like this:
FileGroup: PRIMARY
File: Primary.mdf
FileGroup: FG201801
File: 201801.ndf
FileGroup: FG201802
File: 201802.ndf
FileGroup: FG201803
File: 201803.ndf
etc
My goal would be twofold:
Be able to take backup per partition level. As I read its only possible when I mark the filegroup readonly. So i have separated partial backup BAK files. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/backup-restore/partial-backups-sql-server
Second goal would be (my question is here), to be able to restore only one filegroup, without restoring the PRIMARY filegroup or touching any other filegroup.
Is it even possible?
As understood, if i want to restore for let's say FG201802 only, leaving PRIMARY and the others untouched, then first i have to restore the FULL backup containing the PRIMARY filegroup, then I can restore my partial backup of FG201802. How could I do the restore of FG201802 without restoring PRIMARY?
Could anybody point me to an online resource where this is demonstrated? All article on the net (which i found) always starts to restore the PRIMARY full backup then applying the rest of the partial backups one by one.
I wish only restore a partial backup, how could it be done?
Thank you!