Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase

Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase
    [[-Path] <String[]>]
    -Database <String[]>
    [-Script]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase
    [-InputObject] <AvailabilityGroup[]>
    -Database <String[]>
    [-Script]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

The Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase cmdlet adds primary databases to an availability group or joins secondary databases to an availability group. The InputObject or Path parameter specifies the availability group. A database can belong to only one availability group.

To add databases to an availability group, run this cmdlet on the server instance that hosts the primary replica. Specify one or more local user databases.

To join a secondary database to the availability group, manually prepare the secondary database on the server instance that hosts the secondary replica. Then run this cmdlet on the server instance that hosts the secondary replica.

PS C:\>Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase -Path "SQLSERVER:\SQL\PrimaryServer\InstanceName\AvailabilityGroups\MainAG" -Database "Database16"

This command adds the database Database16 to the availability group MainAG. Run this command on the primary server instance of the availability group. This command does not prepare secondary databases for data synchronization.

PS C:\>Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase -Path "SQLSERVER:\SQL\SecondaryServer\InstanceName\AvailabilityGroups\MainAG" -Database "Database16"

This command joins a secondary database named Database16 to the availability group MainAG on one of the server instances that hosts a secondary replica.

PS C:\> $DatabaseBackupFile = "\\share\backups\Database16.bak"
PS C:\> $LogBackupFile = "\\share\backups\Database16.trn"
PS C:\> $AGPrimaryPath = "SQLSERVER:\SQL\PrimaryServer\InstanceName\AvailabilityGroups\MainAG"
PS C:\> $MyAGSecondaryPath = "SQLSERVER:\SQL\SecondaryServer\InstanceName\AvailabilityGroups\MainAG"
PS C:\> Backup-SqlDatabase -Database "Database16" -BackupFile $DatabaseBackupFile -ServerInstance "PrimaryServer\InstanceName"
PS C:\> Backup-SqlDatabase -Database "Database16" -BackupFile $LogBackupFile -ServerInstance "PrimaryServer\InstanceName" -BackupAction Log
PS C:\> Restore-SqlDatabase -Database "Database16" -BackupFile $DatabaseBackupFile -ServerInstance "SecondaryServer\InstanceName" -NoRecovery
PS C:\> Restore-SqlDatabase -Database "Database16" -BackupFile $LogBackupFile -ServerInstance "SecondaryServer\InstanceName" -RestoreAction Log -NoRecovery
PS C:\> Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase -Path $AGPrimaryPath -Database 'Database16'
PS C:\> Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase -Path $AGSecondaryPath -Database "Database16"

This example prepares a secondary database from a database on the server instance that hosts the primary replica of an availability group. It adds the database to an availability group as a primary database. Finally, it joins the secondary database to the availability group.

The first four commands store paths in variables for use later in the example. The commands assign values to the $DatabaseBackupFile, $LogBackupFile, $AGPrimaryPath, and $AGSecondaryPath variables.

The fifth command backs up the database named Database16 that is on the primary server to the location in $DatabaseBackupFile.

The sixth command backs up the log file for Database16 on the primary server to the location in $LogBackupFile.

The seventh command restores the database backup for Database16 on a secondary server.

The eighth command restores the log file for Database16 on a secondary server.

The ninth command adds the database to the availability group on the primary server.

The final command joins the secondary database for that replica to the availability group. If you have more than one secondary replica, restore and join the secondary database for each of them.

PS C:\>Add-SqlAvailabilityDatabase -Path "SQLSERVER:\SQL\PrimaryServer\InstanceName\AvailabilityGroups\MainAG" -Database "Database16" -Script

This command creates a Transact-SQL script that adds the database Database16 to the availability group MainAG.

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.