Backups

[chrbb]

Proud but slightly scared owner of new server 2008r2 got the online backup sorted now need to get my head round backing up to my external drives.

The online storage has a 100gb limit so I've had to make careful choices of data to backup, none of which would restore the server - if you get what I mean.

 

So I need to setup a backup routine that would mean if the server fails physcially, blows up or is underwater I can restore it from scratch.

 

I have 2 external USB drives to alternate - I was thinking either a system image or bare metal every week, to which I would then restore from the online data storage which is done nightly.

 

Or just a system state and data. I have read that if you backup system state to an optical drive or attached storage you can't restore the system state from it as the backup is compressed.

 

Also going to run an x copy script daily to the old server so probably got data covered, it's just the restoring the server that I need to sort. (I think)

 

Sorry for the rambling post, but I'm struggling to get my head round the different options.

Edited March 25, 2011 by chrbb

[EduTech]

I would think that something like Symantec System Recovery should work nice for you, You could do 2 backups throughout each day which would then give you a point in time to get back to.

 

Purchase a Small NAS so maybe a QNAP (personal preference) and then use the software within that to copy the images over nightly to which you can then take off site.

 

Failing that you could just back the images up to the External Device which would mean you only need to purchase a Symantec System Recovery License.

 

Out of curiosity how much are you paying for your online backup?

 

James.

[chrbb]

The online backup is part of our LEA package that the admin machines belong to. I have to use the server 2008 backup software and my 2 external drives that we already own as we have no money left at all!

 

As my online backup is run every night, I'm only concerned with the curriculum backups as the admin is run nightly, I think I'm going to do a system state and data backup to compliment the online backup twice weekly with an x copy batch file to copy to the old server nightly. If I have a system state backup I can restore the server can't I?

[EduTech]

Yeah you can, A System State Backup creates a backup file for critical system related components. This backup file can be used to recover the critical system components if the system should fail.

 

It pretty much back's up the Registry, boot files, as well as important system files. Then depending on their availability, the following services will be backed up as well:

 

Active Directory directory service, Certificate Service database, COM+ Class Registration database, SYSVOL directory.

 

James.

[sukh]

Hi

 

As far as I know you can backup to external disks. Also a system state can recover the server (OS). Or you can backup to a loca disk on the server or volume and then copy to a external disk. If you nackup to the system volume then refer to the KB below.

 

Error message when you try to perform a system state backup in Windows Server 2008: "ERROR - The location for backup is a critical volume"

 

Sukh

[the_quick]

I had a problem with restoring system state from USB drive, it was win 2003, it worked but not fully. I had to restore GPO replication, as it did not replicate properly.