Database, Data Engineering, Cloud & AI consulting since 2007
SQL Server
High availability is the design that keeps the database serving users when a server, a disk or a patch fails. It is not the same thing as a backup you hope to restore tomorrow.
A failover cluster instance, log shipping and an availability group solve different failures. The expensive mistake is implementing the most complex option because it was mentioned in a meeting. We start from the failure you need to survive and the edition you own.
Designs, including Always On, are compared on SQL Server high availability and disaster recovery. A single-site failover still needs backups you have restored.
We will recommend a failover design, or tell you that backups and a tested restore are the honest answer.