~*~ SqlVault

# Backups you can
actually restore.

SqlVault is a subscription-based SQL Server backup agent for Windows. It encrypts databases with AES-256-GCM, uploads to cloud storage, and proves every backup is restorable before it is certified. No cloud middleman. Just verified recoverability.

Technical Case Study

AES-256-GCM

Encryption

DBCC CHECKDB

Restore drill

8 TB

Practical limit

GFS

Retention

~*~ The Problem

# A backup you cannot restore is a liability.

Most small businesses running SQL Server Express have no SQL Server Agent, no scheduled backups, and no way to verify that a backup file actually works. Managed backup services add a cloud intermediary that owns your customer data. When a restore fails at the moment you need it most, nobody cares that the upload succeeded.

SqlVault flips the contract. Restoreability is not a claim — it is a gate the system passes before certifying any run.

~*~ What You Get

# Features

Verified Restoreability

Every full backup is restored to a scratch database and DBCC-checked before it is certified. You know it works because the system already proved it.

AES-256-GCM Encryption

Backups are encrypted on the customer machine before they ever leave. Streaming chunked encryption handles databases up to 8 TB practical.

Cloud Storage

Backups upload to Google Drive with resumable uploads, retry, and remote digest verification. Storage is configured per deployment.

Validated Pipeline

Preflight, BACKUP DATABASE, RESTORE VERIFYONLY, deep restore, encryption, upload, cleanup. Each step is a gate. Failure at any step fails the run.

Retention & Revalidation

GFS retention policies, 7-day VERIFYONLY revalidation, and 30-day deep-restore revalidation on uploaded backups. Old backups stay healthy, not just present.

Key Recovery

Recovery key export/import and Drive-side key escrow mean a lost host does not mean lost backups. Restore on a clean machine with just the key and the artifact.

~*~ How It Works

# The Validation Pipeline

Preflight

ACL, disk, DB allowlist, SQL connection

Backup

Native BACKUP DATABASE with CHECKSUM

Verify

RESTORE VERIFYONLY on every run

Deep Restore

Restore to scratch DB, health probe, drop

Encrypt

Streaming AES-256-GCM, chunked

Package

Versioned ZIP container with manifest

Upload

Resumable upload to Google Drive

Certify

Run logged, SHA-256 recorded, certified

Each step is a gate. Failure at any step fails the run and triggers a notification. No silent partial successes.

~*~ Architecture

# Single Process, No Cloud Server

SqlVault.Host — one Windows Service: backup engine, Quartz scheduler, localhost API, Blazor Server dashboard on 127.0.0.1.

SQLite — local catalog of jobs, runs, licenses, and notifications. Secrets stored as references only; values live in DPAPI.

Google Drive — resumable uploads, retry, and remote digest verification. Storage configured per deployment.

Security — DPAPI for credentials, RSA-signed support tokens for on-site setup, key escrow for hardened-mode recovery.

No cloud backup server. The backup file is created, verified, encrypted, and uploaded from the customer machine directly to cloud storage.

~*~ Subscription

# Plans

Subscription-based, scaled by number of customer installations and feature tier. Email for a quote tailored to your deployment.

Single Customer

One SQL Server installation

Scheduled full / differential / log backups
AES-256-GCM encryption + Google Drive storage
Restore drill on every full backup
Email notifications (admin + customer)
Local Blazor dashboard

>> Most common

Multi-Customer

MSP / IT provider managing several sites

Everything in Single Customer
Per-customer folder organization in cloud storage
Time-limited RSA support tokens for on-site technicians
Vendor admin key for direct setup access
GFS retention + scheduled revalidation per job

Enterprise

Custom requirements & SLAs

Everything in Multi-Customer
Hardened mode (DPAPI-stored AES keys, no manual unzip)
Key escrow + clean-host restore drills
Custom retention and notification policies
Direct support and onboarding

~*~ FAQ

# Questions

What happens if a backup cannot be restored?

The pipeline fails the run before it is certified. RESTORE VERIFYONLY and a deep restore to a scratch database run on every full backup. If either fails, the run is marked failed and you are notified.

Can it run on SQL Server Express?

Yes. SqlVault ships its own scheduler, so it does not depend on SQL Server Agent. That makes it a strong fit for Express installations that have no built-in scheduling.

What if the customer machine dies?

Backups are encrypted artifacts in cloud storage. With the documented recovery key and the released binary, you can restore on a clean host with no prior local catalog. The release gate requires this drill to pass before any version ships.

How is pricing structured?