---
id: post/stefanmaron-com/https-stefanmaron-com-posts-bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container--0d94b20d91
type: post
title: "bcdb restore: Write a Cloud Export Into a Container"
summary: The bcdb restore tool writes cloud exports directly into a running Docker container without requiring matching schemas, intelligently handling mismatches by skipping missing tables and columns. It restored a production environment in 10 seconds and supports flexible identity table handling, company mapping, and dry-run preview modes.
tier: community
language: en
tags:
  - bcdb
  - restore
  - docker
  - container
  - data migration
  - schema mismatch
  - cloud export
  - bacpac
system: development
review:
  state: reviewed
  by: opus
  at: "2026-10-07T23:46:43.808Z"
  flags: []
generated:
  at: "2026-10-07T22:42:12.892Z"
  pipeline: 0.2.0
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evidence:
  - kind: blog
    url: https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/
    title: "bcdb restore: Write a Cloud Export Into a Container"
    date: "2026-09-10"
    commit: null
    t: null
    quote: null
  - kind: blog
    url: https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/
    title: "bcdb restore: Write a Cloud Export Into a Container"
    date: "2026-09-10"
    commit: null
    t: null
    quote: it writes a source's rows straight into a container that's already running, and it doesn't ask the container's schema to match the source first.
  - kind: blog
    url: https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/
    title: "bcdb restore: Write a Cloud Export Into a Container"
    date: "2026-09-10"
    commit: null
    t: null
    quote: bcdb restore sees the one company with data on each side, maps it, and logs the mapping so it's never a surprise.
links:
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post_id: https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/
source_id: stefanmaron-com
source_name: Stefan Maron
url: https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/
published_at: "2026-09-10T05:33:46.000Z"
author: Stefan Maron
full_text: false
words: 1305
quotes:
  - text: it writes a source's rows straight into a container that's already running, and it doesn't ask the container's schema to match the source first.
    why_it_matters: "Explains the core innovation: schema flexibility eliminates the pre-alignment work normally required for restores"
  - text: bcdb restore sees the one company with data on each side, maps it, and logs the mapping so it's never a surprise.
    why_it_matters: Shows intelligent defaults that work without user specification while maintaining transparency
code_objects_mentioned:
  - table User
  - table Access Control
  - table User Personalization
  - table User Property
  - table Company
  - table Tenant Profile
  - table NAV App
systems:
  - development
  - platform
  - administration
versions_mentioned:
  - 0.2.0
  - 0.1.2
  - "28.4"
  - "28.2"
preview:
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  site_name: Stefan Maron
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  probed_at: "2026-10-07T11:50:05.572Z"
---

# bcdb restore: Write a Cloud Export Into a Container

[Read the post](https://stefanmaron.com/posts/bcdb-restore-write-a-cloud-export-into-a-container/) · Stefan Maron (Stefan Maron, MVP) · 2026-09-10 · 1305 words · tier community · reviewed (checked by Opus)

> The bcdb restore tool writes cloud exports directly into a running Docker container without requiring matching schemas, intelligently handling mismatches by skipping missing tables and columns. It restored a production environment in 10 seconds and supports flexible identity table handling, company mapping, and dry-run preview modes.

## Key points

- Restore works against containers with different extension sets, skipping missing tables and columns instead of failing
- Identity and platform tables (users, access control, company, tenant profile, NAV App) are excluded by default to avoid login lockouts and service tier breakage
- Company data is auto-mapped and logged when exactly one company has data on each side; with more, the tool refuses to guess
- Rows are streamed and bulk-copied, identity values are preserved and amounts are carried as SqlDecimal
- --dry-run previews the full plan without writing, and table creation is opt-in via --create

## Quotes

- "it writes a source's rows straight into a container that's already running, and it doesn't ask the container's schema to match the source first." (Explains the core innovation: schema flexibility eliminates the pre-alignment work normally required for restores)
- "bcdb restore sees the one company with data on each side, maps it, and logs the mapping so it's never a surprise." (Shows intelligent defaults that work without user specification while maintaining transparency)

## AL objects mentioned

As named in the post. A name that matches one object page by exact type and name links to it; the others stay as named.

- table "User"
- table "Access Control"
- table "User Personalization"
- table "User Property"
- table "Company"
- table "Tenant Profile"
- table "NAV App"

Not found in BC28-30: table "User", table "Access Control", table "User Personalization", table "User Property", table "Company", table "Tenant Profile", table "NAV App".

## Context

- Features: bcdb restore, schema flexibility, identity table exclusion, company mapping, dry-run mode, bulk copy, mismatch handling
- Versions: 0.2.0, 0.1.2, 28.4, 28.2

Source: Stefan Maron, community blog. Summary, key points and quotes are derived (CONTENT-NOTICE.md); read the original for the full text.