Home > Storage > PowerStore > Databases and Data Analytics > Dell PowerStore: Microsoft SQL Server Best Practices > Snapshots and application backup and restore
Using array-based snapshots is an effective way to protect virtual machine data and establish a recovery point objective (RPO). In the PowerStore architecture, the snapshot schedule is created using protection policies. Each protection policy can define snapshot rules to establish a schedule and retention, and replication rules to specify a destination array and RPO.
PowerStore has three data recovery mechanisms that all behave differently depending on the usage scenario.
Caution: Use of the refresh and restore operations on active database volumes may cause unexpected results and behaviors. All host access to the volume must be ceased before attempting these operations by either shutting down the SQL Server instance or taking the SQL Server databases offline.
In addition to using snapshots to protect databases, if SQL Server hosts are leveraging boot-from-SAN, the boot volume can be added to the same volume group as the database volumes and the entire host can be protected.