How do you test SIMS backups?

[fiza]

To those with SIMS, how do you test your backups to verify they are not corrupt and will be useful in the event that they are needed?

[Steve21]

To those with SIMS, how do you test your backups to verify they are not corrupt and will be useful in the event that they are needed?

 

Assuming you have Veeam we do an Instant Recovery restore on our backup server (we have a virtual switch that’s internal only), pick that switch when doing the restore

 

You can the login locally to the VM, run sims client on the server and test login etc all while isolated from the main network

 

Steve

[FragglePete]

I do a yearly disaster recovery exercise. Rebuild the Domain Controllers on a set of old servers we have, completely disconnected from the main network and once I've verified a working domain restore the SIMS server next. Using Veeam here also and have the steps documented within our disaster recovery plan.

 

Pete

[fiza]

Assuming you have Veeam we do an Instant Recovery restore on our backup server (we have a virtual switch that’s internal only), pick that switch when doing the restore

 

You can the login locally to the VM, run sims client on the server and test login etc all while isolated from the main network

 

Steve

 

To ensure I fully understand, do you have an isolated VM that you do a full SIMS server restore to and then just run SIMS client on that server to ensure all is good?

[Steve21]

To ensure I fully understand, do you have an isolated VM that you do a full SIMS server restore to and then just run SIMS client on that server to ensure all is good?

 

Veeam does instant restores as an option, so it effectively mounts the backup image as a new temp VM (rather than any manual creation etc)

 

We do this direct on the backup/Veeam server.

 

When you do the restore it gives you the option to change the virtual switch, so can just pick an internal only one so it’s isolated and won’t affect the live SIMs server

 

Then can just console into the server screen and login to it directly if that makes sense

 

Steve

[fiza]

Veeam does instant restores as an option, so it effectively mounts the backup image as a new temp VM (rather than any manual creation etc)

 

We do this direct on the backup/Veeam server.

 

When you do the restore it gives you the option to change the virtual switch, so can just pick an internal only one so it’s isolated and won’t affect the live SIMs server

 

Then can just console into the server screen and login to it directly if that makes sense

 

Steve

 

Our Veeam does an offsite backup of the SIMS Server to a cloud repository so when I go to instant restore I get "No backup available on disk".

[ITGuyNW]

Assuming you have Veeam we do an Instant Recovery restore on our backup server (we have a virtual switch that’s internal only), pick that switch when doing the restore

 

You can the login locally to the VM, run sims client on the server and test login etc all while isolated from the main network

 

Steve

 

How much is the licence for Veeam to be able to do this? I am only have the free version for a personal backup.

[Koldov]

Not sure if it will help or if it's what you're looking for as I haven't ever done 'full restore' of SIMS as such, but I am in the process of migrating our SIMS P2V.

 

I have set up the VM with all the requirements (SQL, SOLUS etc.). To test that the VM was working I have a very old setup that a Capita engineer setup on the original server that creates a zipped backup of the database.

 

I copy that over onto the VM and use DBATTACH to restore it. The VM server has a SIMS client on it and I can log-in and see any changes like new users created or password changes (so at least I know the DB backup was good).

[pablo007]

Sorry to bring this old thread back to life but for those of you using Veeam and restore option is there a time limit to how long this works for?

 

What i mean is, i have done a restore as suggested above connected it to a separate network and disconnected the network card on boot as a belts and braces approach and sims loads and works fine and dandy but i worry that windows will stop working overtime, become unlicensed or some other such peculiarity from Microsoft, so just checking with anyone that they have done this over the years and been able to switch it back on without issues.