---
title: "Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession"
description: "Starts a restore session to explore and restore databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server. Product: Veeam Backup & Replication Product Edition: Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet starts a restore session to exp"
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/explorers_powershell/start-vesqlpluginrestoresession.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam Explorers PowerShell Reference > Veeam Explorers PowerShell Reference > Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server > Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession"
dateModified: "2026-08-20"
---

# Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession

## Short Description
Starts a restore session to explore and restore databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server.

**Product**: Veeam Backup & Replication

**Product Edition**: Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

## Syntax
```
Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession [-Backup] <IVESQLPluginBackup> [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet starts a restore session to explore and restore databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server.

After you create the restore session, run the [`Get-VESQLPluginDatabase`](get-vesqlplugindatabase.md) cmdlet to get databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server.

Note the difference between a restore session and a restore job. A restore session is a preliminary step where Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SQL Server has retrieved the backup from the backup repository, pending restore operations. A restore job is the process of restoring data from the backup to the target Microsoft SQL Server machine.

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Backup</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a backup used to start a new restore session. You will be able to use the session to explore and restore Microsoft SQL Server databases that this backup contains.</p><p>Accepts the <a href="vesqlpluginbackup.md"><code>IVESQLPluginBackup</code></a> object. To get this object, run the <a href="get-vesqlpluginbackup.md"><code>Get-VESQLPluginBackup</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>IVESQLPluginBackup</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>0</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see the [About Common Parameters](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=113216) section of Microsoft Learn.

## Output Object
The cmdlet returns the [`VESQLPluginRestoreSession`](vesqlpluginrestoresession.md) object that contains settings of the restore session for databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server.

## Examples

::: example
### Starting Restore Session

This example shows how to start a restore session to explore and restore databases backed up with Veeam Plug-in for Microsoft SQL Server.

```
$backup = Get-VESQLPluginBackup -Name "SQL Backup"
$session = Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession -Backup $backup
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VESQLPluginBackup`](get-vesqlpluginbackup.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$backup` variable.
2. Run the `Start-VESQLPluginRestoreSession` cmdlet. Set the `$backup` variable as the `Backup` parameter value. Save the result to the `$session` variable to be able to use it with other cmdlets.

:::

## Related Commands

[`Get-VESQLPluginBackup`](get-vesqlpluginbackup.md)