Azure PostgreSQL Lesson Learned #10: Why PITR Networking Rules Matter
Co‑authored with angesalsaa Symptoms Customer attempted to restore a server configured with public access into a private virtual network. Restore operation failed with an error indicating unsupported configuration. Root Cause Azure enforces strict networking rules during PITR to maintain security and consistency: Public access servers can only be restored to public access. Private access servers can be restored to the same virtual network or a different virtual network, but not to public access. Why This Happens Networking mode is tied to the original server configuration. Mixing public and private access during restore could expose sensitive data or break connectivity assumptions. Contributing Factors Customer assumed PITR could switch networking modes. No prior review of Azure documentation on restore limitations. Specific Conditions We Observed Source server: Private access with VNet integration. Target restore: Attempted to switch to public access. Operational Checks Before initiating PITR: Confirm the source server’s networking mode (Public vs Private). Review restore options in the Azure portal → Restore. Mitigation Goal: Align restore strategy with networking rules. If source is Public: Restore only to Public access. If source is Private: Restore to same or different VNet (within the same region). Post-Resolution Customer successfully restored to a different VNet after adjusting expectations. Prevention & Best Practices Document networking mode for all PostgreSQL servers. Train teams on PITR limitations before disaster recovery drills. Avoid assumptions always check official guidance. Why This Matters Ignoring these rules can delay recovery during critical incidents. Knowing the constraints upfront ensures faster restores and compliance with security policies. Key Takeaways Issue: PITR does not allow switching between Public and Private access. Fix: Restore within the same networking category as the source server. References Backup and Restore in Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible ServerPreventing and recovering from accidental deletion of an Azure Database for MySQL flexible server
Accidental deletion of critical Azure resources, such as Azure Database for MySQL flexible servers, can disrupt operations. To help avoid such accidental deletions, you can use a couple of options, including Azure Resource Locks and Azure Policy. This post explains how to implement these mechanisms, and how to revive a dropped MySQL flexible server by using the Azure CLI.Restore database across servers(Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL managed instance)- Azure Automation
In this article, we consider the scenario where customers would like to restore their Azure SQL database and managed database from one Azure SQL server to another Azure SQL server, for example for development reasons. The article will provide you with the steps to achieve this by automating the job using Azure AutomationRestore your Azure Database for PostgreSQL server into a different Azure subscription, the right way
A challenge our customers often encounter is the inability to restore production databases across different Azure subscription. In this blog post, we share how to restore your Azure Database for PostgreSQL server into a different Azure subscription.
