What is the simple recovery model in SQL Server?
The simple recovery model is the basic recovery model available in SQL Server.
You cannot back up to an exact given point of time using simple recovery, only until the last full or differential backup.
The full recovery mode, when managed properly, allows a database to be restored to a definite point in time.
Should I use the simple recovery model?
A simple recovery model is not ideal for situations where the user cannot afford to lose data.
Consider how much data loss is acceptable for your operations.
Setting up SQL backups to ensure a maximum data loss of only 2 minutes is straightforward and comes without downsides.
This is called, Recovery Point Objective (RPO).
- Think about how much downtime you can afford to have in the case of failure. That is the Recovery Time Objective (RTO).
- Both of those terms together add up to the service level agreement (SLA).
Based on those, we can now design appropriate backup plans (full, differential, and transactional).
