Symptoms of Recovery Pending

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 129 views

Overview

Availability Groups in SQL Server provide a high level of redundancy and failover capabilities for databases. However, when a node in the Availability Group is no longer available, the group becomes invalid, and the databases may become stuck in a "recovery pending" state. In this article, we will explore the steps to restore one node from an Availability Group with recovery pending.

Understanding the Issue

When a node in an Availability Group is no longer available, the group becomes invalid, and the databases may become stuck in a "recovery pending" state. This is because the node that is no longer available was responsible for replicating the data to the other nodes in the group. Without this node, the data is no longer consistent across the group, and the databases are unable to recover.

Symptoms of Recovery Pending

When a database is in a "recovery pending" state, it will not be accessible for read or write operations. The database will be listed as "recovery pending" in the SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) under the Availability Group. The following error message may be displayed when trying to access the database:

Msg 1418, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 The database 'DatabaseName' is in a recovery pending state and cannot be accessed until it is resolved.

Pre-Requisites

Before attempting to restore one node from an Availability Group with recovery pending, ensure that you have the following:

A valid backup of the database that is in a "recovery pending" state.
A SQL Server instance that is not part of the Availability Group.
The necessary permissions to restore the database and join it to the Availability Group.

Step 1: Restore the Database from Backup

To restore the database from backup, follow these steps:

Backup Verification: Verify that the backup is valid and can be restored by using the RESTORE VERIFYONLY statement.
Restore Database: Use the RESTORE DATABASE statement to restore the database from the backup.
Database Verification: Verify that the database is restored successfully by checking the database properties and the database files.

Step 2: Join the Database to the Availability Group

To join the database to the Availability Group, follow these steps:

Availability Group Verification: Verify that the Availability Group is valid and not in a "recovery pending" state.
Database Join: Use the ALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP statement to join the database to the Availability Group.
Database Verification: Verify that the database is joined to the Availability Group successfully by checking the database properties and the Availability Group properties.

Step 3: Resolve the Recovery Pending State

To resolve the recovery pending state, follow these steps:

Database Verification: Verify that the database is in a "recovery pending" state by checking the database properties.
Recovery Pending Resolution: Use the ALTER DATABASE statement to resolve the recovery pending state.
Database Verification: Verify that the database is no longer in a "recovery pending" state by checking the database properties.

Troubleshooting

If the database is still in a "recovery pending" state after following the above steps, troubleshoot the issue by checking the following:

Database Consistency: Verify that the database is consistent by checking the database properties and the database files.
Availability Group Consistency: Verify that the Availability Group is consistent by checking the Availability Group properties and the database properties.
Backup and Restore: Verify that the backup and restore process is successful by checking the backup and restore logs.

Conclusion

Restoring one node from an Availability Group with recovery pending requires careful planning and execution. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can successfully restore the database and join it to the Availability Group. Remember to troubleshoot any issues that may arise during the process to ensure a successful outcome.

Additional Resources

For more information on Availability Groups and recovery pending states, refer to the following resources:

Best Practices

To avoid recovery pending states in the future, follow these best practices:

Regularly Back Up Databases: Regularly back up databases to ensure that they can be restored in case of a failure.
Monitor Availability Groups: Monitor Availability Groups to ensure that they are consistent and not in a "recovery pending" state.
Test Disaster Recovery: Test disaster recovery procedures to ensure that databases can be restored successfully in case of a failure.