Can CDC enabled database DIFF backups be RESTORED while maintaining the CDC integrity?

Question

We tried restoring FULL + subsequent DIFF backups of a CDC enabled database to a different SQL server and found that the CDC integrity is not being maintained. We did RESTORE the databases with the KEEP_CDC option.
Can someone please guide us on how to successfully restore the CDC enabled database backups(FULL + DIFF) while maintaining the CDC integrity?
Note: SQL Server Version: SQL Server 2012 SP1 CU2

Answer 1

Hi YoungBreeze,
Based on your description, I make a test on my computer.
Firstly, I create a database named ‘sqldbpool’ , then enable the
Change Data Capture (CDC) feature and take full+ differential backups of the database. Below are the scripts I used.
-- Create database sqldbpool
CREATE DATABASE [sqldbpool] ON PRIMARY
( NAME = N'SQLDBPool', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\SQLDBPool.mdf' , SIZE = 5120KB ,
MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 1024KB )
LOG ON
( NAME = N'SQLDBPool_log', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\SQLDBPool_log.LDF' , SIZE = 3840KB ,
MAXSIZE = 2048GB , FILEGROWTH = 10%)
GO
use sqldbpool;
go
-- creating table
create table Customer
custID int constraint PK_Employee primary key Identity(1,1)
,custName varchar(20)
--Enabling CDC on SQLDBPool database
USE SQLDBPool
GO
EXEC sys.sp_cdc_enable_db
--Enabling CDC on Customer table
USE SQLDBPool
GO
EXEC sys.sp_cdc_enable_table
@source_schema = N'dbo',
@source_name = N'Customer',
@role_name = NULL
GO
--Inserting values in customer table
insert into Customer values('jugal'),('shah')
-- Querying CDC table to get the changes
select * from cdc.dbo_customer_CT
--Taking full database backup
backup database sqldbpool to disk = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\sqldbpool.bak'
insert into Customer values('111'),('222')
-- Querying CDC table to get the changes
select * from cdc.dbo_customer_CT
--Taking differential database backup
BACKUP DATABASE sqldbpool TO DISK = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\sqldbpooldif.bak' WITH DIFFERENTIAL
GO
Secondly, I restore the ‘sqldbpool’ database  in a different SQL Server instance with the following scripts. After the restoration, everything works as expected and the database maintains the CDC integrity.
Use master
Go
--restore full database backup
restore database sqldbpool from disk = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\sqldbpool.bak' with keep_cdc
Restore Database sqldbpool From Disk = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\sqldbpool.bak'
With Move 'SQLDBPool' To 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\SQLDBPool.mdf',
Move 'SQLDBPool_log' To 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\SQLDBPool_log.LDF',
Replace,
NoRecovery;
Go
--restore differential database backup
restore database sqldbpool from disk = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\sqldbpooldif.bak' with keep_cdc
--add the Capture and Cleanup jobs
Use sqldbpool
exec sys.sp_cdc_add_job 'capture'
GO
exec sys.sp_cdc_add_job 'cleanup'
GO
insert into Customer values('TEST'),('TEST1')
-- Querying CDC table to get the changes
select * from cdc.dbo_customer_CT
When we restore a CDC enabled database, we need to note that the CDC feature is available only on the Enterprise, Developer, and Evaluation editions of SQL Server. And we need to add the Capture and Cleanup agent jobs after restoring the database.
For more details about restoring a CDC enabled database in SQL Server, you can review the following similar articles.
Restoring a SQL Server database that uses Change Data Capture:
http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2421/restoring-a-sql-server-database-that-uses-change-data-capture/
CDC Interoperability with Mirroring and Recovery:
http://www.sqlsoldier.com/wp/sqlserver/cdcinteroperabilitywithmirroringandrecovery
Thanks,
Lydia Zhang