How to BackUp and Restore a Certificate in SQL Server

 

Certificates are an essential component of SQL Server's security infrastructure. They are used to protect sensitive data, secure connections, backups and authenticate users. In this article, we will explore how to back up a certificate in SQL Server and restore it on another server. We will also discuss some use cases for backing up and restoring certificates.

Backing Up a Certificate:

To back up a certificate in SQL Server, you need to use the BACKUP CERTIFICATE statement. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to the SQL Server instance that contains the certificate you want to back up.

Step 2: Open a new query window and execute the following statement:

BACKUP CERTIFICATE TDE_Certificate TO FILE = 'C:\Certificates\TDE_Certificate.cer' WITH PRIVATE KEY (
    FILE = 'C:\Certificates\TDE_Certificate.pvk',
    ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = 'MyPassword'
);

In the above statement, replace " TDE_Certificate" with the name of the certificate you want to back up, and replace the file paths with the desired locations.

To find certificates names please use below query

SELECT
    name,
    pvt_key_encryption_type_desc,
    thumbprint
FROM
    sys.certificates

Restoring a Certificate:

To restore a certificate on another SQL Server instance, you need to use the CREATE CERTIFICATE statement. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Open SSMS and connect to the SQL Server instance where you want to restore the certificate.

Step 2: Open a new query window and execute the following statement:

CREATE CERTIFICATE MyCertificate
FROM
    FILE = 'C:\Certificates\MyCertificate.cer' WITH PRIVATE KEY (
        FILE = 'C:\Certificates\MyCertificate.pvk',
        DECRYPTION BY PASSWORD = 'MyPassword'
    );

In this statement, replace "TDE_Certificate" with the name of the certificate you want to restore, and replace the file paths with the locations where you saved the .cer and .pvk files.

Step 3: Verify that the certificate has been restored by executing the following statement:

SELECT
    name,
    pvt_key_encryption_type_desc,
    thumbprint
FROM
    sys.certificates

Use Cases for Backing Up and Restoring Certificates: 

Here are some use cases for backing up and restoring certificates:

• Disaster recovery: Backing up and restoring certificates can help you recover your SQL Server in the event of a disaster. 
• Migrating to a new server: If you are moving your SQL Server to a new machine, you can back up the certificates and restore them on the new server.
•  AlwaysOn: If you are replicating your SQL Server to another server, you can back up the certificates and restore them on the target server.

Certificates are a critical component of SQL Server's security infrastructure. By backing up and restoring certificates, you can ensure that your SQL Server remains secure and that your sensitive data is protected. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can back up and restore certificates with ease, and be prepared for any scenario that requires the use of certificates.