How Should I Backup This Server?

[AndyCan]

I an intending to have a single physical server running Server 2008 that will be storing no important data. All our data is stored offsite, the server will just be used for a DC, DNS, DHCP, anti-virus management and Print management. I intend to just setup simple RAID 1 with 2 SAS drives so the question is how should i backup this server if at all?

 

By using RAID 1 i can swap out a dead HD under warranty and continue to function so should i be backing it up and if so i would want to do it for free. i suspect DPM isnt free like NT Backup was and that i''d need SCCM to run DPM, is that right?

 

The 2nd question is, in the future i would intend to run a few Virtual Servers on this hardware. Should i install Hyper-V now and setup this 1 server as a VM or leave it and install it all directly onto the hardware as a single OS and then just migrate that to a VM and setup Hyper-V at a later date when i need to?

[jamesfed]

Setup your server as a virtual host now and setup your DC ect on it as a VM - that way you can save the issues of P2V migrations (and associated downtime) later along the line.

 

As far as backup goes Server 2008 R1/R2 includes a backup system out of the box (free) just enable it as a feature if you are looking to backup a large number of servers you will want to use DPM although it doesn’t require SCCM to work.

 

If you have a decent VPN link to this server (if you have a main site ect) then you could do an initial sync of the server with it hosted at your main site and then do incremental from there on in over the VPN (overnight).

[rslulz]

You can leave the Hyper-v role uninstalled for now until you need to add a vm. As far as making this core server a vm on your hyper-v that's personal opinion I've got a vps server that I use the core server for hosting a few things, and have a few hyper-v's never ran into a issue so far. As far as back up if you're only relying on raid 1 you've got no back up for disaster/virus/catastrophe. Depending on how much data you plan on backing up online back up is an option. If you've got quite a bit of data tape is always a choice as well. I prefer online volume snap shot because you don't have to really manage it, and it's off site, and secure.

[AndyCan]

ok thanks, thats the justification i needed to set it up as a VM (downtime in migration process) would it be difficult to migrate the server to a VM if it was a DC??

 

As for backup DPM is free? i know of wbadmin but thought DPM requied SCCM. Anyway i wont have any data as such to backup. All i want to backup is the server state so that if there isa disaster, i can have everything backup and running asap rather than having to install Server 2008 and the roles from fresh.

[rslulz]

You should be able to migrate it to a vm. Personally I've never migrated a domain controller, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to. It would really depend on how you migrate it... If you bring the vm up, and promote that to a dc then migrate the roles over it should be fine.

[AndyCan]

You should be able to migrate it to a vm. Personally I've never migrated a domain controller, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to. It would really depend on how you migrate it... If you bring the vm up, and promote that to a dc then migrate the roles over it should be fine.

 

in that case im thinking of leaving Hyper-V out of it altogether, just have it as a standalone server and use wbadmin to backup the OS and config as a full backup each night as it should be relatively small.

[rslulz]

in that case im thinking of leaving Hyper-V out of it altogether, just have it as a standalone server and use wbadmin to backup the OS and config as a full backup each night as it should be relatively small.

 

You very well could do Hyper-v I don't see any downfall to doing that as long as you have the horsepower hardware wise to to handle it. Nightly back up as long as it's volume snap shots it should be okay I try to give some of our clients that move large amounts of data 12hrs 8-8, but 4hrs is more than enough for backup. What anti-virus do you plan on using?

[AndyCan]

if i leave virtualisation out of it that means when we come to do it, im not already set for Hyper-V, it leaves options open for something like VMWare. Can DPM/wbadmin do volume snapshots and i could do them of a standalone server and use it to restore from if things went badly wrong?

 

antivirus i'll be going for avast! used it before and a big fan.

 

You very well could do Hyper-v I don't see any downfall to doing that as long as you have the horsepower hardware wise to to handle it. Nightly back up as long as it's volume snap shots it should be okay I try to give some of our clients that move large amounts of data 12hrs 8-8, but 4hrs is more than enough for backup. What anti-virus do you plan on using?

[rslulz]

Right you can always add the hyper-v service/role later on so no big deal. DPM utilizes vss, and yes you can do a restore from the back up. Here's a good article on it:

System Center Data Protection Manager and the Volume Snapshot Service - AuTechHeads Blogs

 

Are you getting any suscriptions with avast? My company has a partnership with GFI, and we use their Viper product for many of our clients, and it has a very nice admin console not saying it's the best, but if you're in the market for av it would be worth checking out.

[AndyCan]

thanks, i'll give it a read! and avast im set on, i've used it before in business and was A LOT better than McAfee and its also been my personal choice of AV for the last few years. its also very cheap to others so i i'll def be sticking with what i know

 

Right you can always add the hyper-v service/role later on so no big deal. DPM utilizes vss, and yes you can do a restore from the back up. Here's a good article on it:

System Center Data Protection Manager and the Volume Snapshot Service - AuTechHeads Blogs

 

Are you getting any suscriptions with avast? My company has a partnership with GFI, and we use their Viper product for many of our clients, and it has a very nice admin console not saying it's the best, but if you're in the market for av it would be worth checking out.

[rslulz]

Cool I can't blame you for going with what your familiar with good luck!