Backing up Windows Server 2003 and Windows SBS 2003 with BE 12.5

[banan2]

Hello,

We are selling Backup Exec to all of our customers that needs backup, and it seem to have been working very well all the way back to version 9.
Even tho, we have not done many restore jobs, so we don't have much experience with that. Recently our own server crashed, a Windows SBS 2003 server, and we was unable to restore our Exchange data (we had to restore by .ost files).

I have never had much experience with Backup Exec. So I have been playing around with Backup Exec in a lab enviroment, and I have taken backups and restored.
I know how it works a little better now, but still I lack a Symantec-verified way of taking backup or restoring.

What does Symantec say about backing up Windows Server 2003 Standard (DC, SQL) and Windows Server SBS 2003 (DC, Exchange, SQL)?
What do I need to take backup of to have a full backup that can be fully restored later? (Any Windows-files that are required?)
What do I need if I want to restore to new hardware (what if the server burns up)? (is there any difference between SBS and Standard?)
What is best practises on IDR? I've heard that it fails pretty often. Is it normal to have a IDR-disc, just in case? Should I usually test this disc and actually do a fully restore before I conclude that it actually works?


Any guides, tutorials or articles are welcome.
I have already done some research on google, but never got the facts verified.

[banan2]

Anyone that can help me out here?

[CraigV]

Hi,

I don't think Symantec have particular standards for backing up DCs, but you would look into backing up the System State, and the dns and dhcp folders in C:\Windows\system32 , along with any metadata you might need.
As for SQL, don't use AOFO when backing up SQL databases. This prevents you from redirecting a restore to another server (verified by Symantec with 1 of the issues I had!). The same for Exchange. They don't recommend backing up Exchange using AOFO, or in fact putting Exchange in along with file backups using AOFO. I do, and I am able to clear the Exchange logs, and restore both files and Exchange items. But it doesn't mean it will work with your side, so look into this carefully.
What you need to backup on your servers is dependant on what the business is asking for, so the best thing to do is ask them for specifics...directories, files, databases etc.
When backing up files and System State etc, use AOFO. This will allow you to backup open files, and not show your backups as failed.
There are fundamental differences between SBS 2003 and Server 2003. However, if it's just a simple backup of files on the SBS 2003 server, these should be able to be restored to a Win 2K3 server without any issues. If you want a complete restore of an entire server, I doubt this will be possible. You wouldn't be able to restore system states, and Windows files from SBS 2003 to Server 2003 and expect it to work properly after that, if at all!
Read up more here...

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/311833.htm

[banan2]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.


I do not want to restore from a SBS 2003 to Server 2003 or the other way. I just usually work with either SBS 2003 or Server 2003.
I know how to backup our applications and SQL etc. it's mainly just the complete DC with Exchange that is the problem.

I would like to gather a list of selections that actually is REQUIRED to do a complete DC (Server 2003) restore.

Let's say the server is running the following services/applications:
- DC (the only one in the domain)
- DNS
- DHCP
- Exchange server
- Terminal Server (for administration)
- Fileserver
- Printserver

I have made a list of what I suppose I have to backup:
- DHCP folder
- DNS folder
- IIS folders
- Exchange backup using Exchange Agent (Do I need the Exchsrvr folder?)
- System State
- Volume Shadow Copy

Is there any more folders in the Windows directory that needs to be backed up?


What if the server was lost in a fire? Would I then be able to restore this server to new hardware? 

[CraigV]

For Exchange, you select the Information Store, and Backup Exec does the rest. No need to deselect anything.
For File Servers, and for ALL my servers, I select the System State. I then go on to select any folders that user data is found in. You might want to look at putting in exclusions for illegal files like *.wav, *.mp3, *.avi etc. so that Backup Exec can skip them.
For Exchange, I was told to include: %windows\system32\iis\metaback. Apparently it's easier to restore Exchange.
If the server burnt out in a fire, you should be able to recover. We had a server failure in 1 of our African sites. It ran Exchange and was a file and print server. With the files and Exchange on tape, we were able to recover the server.
For what exactly to back up on DNS, DHCP etc, check these out:

Backing up DHCP
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738987.aspx

Backing up IIS
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302573 (you can look for the default backup folder)

Backing up DNS
http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1305271,00.html (refering to the %system32%\dns folder)

[banan2]

Okay. Is it best practice to take a complete full backup of the system (C:\, D:\) if the space on the backupdevice allows me to?
If I got a complete full backup, can I then just do one full restore job and the server should be back up? Or do I have to do it in steps? (First System State, then Files, then Exchange? Do I need the Program Files\Exchsrvr folder to restore Exchange, or should I install Exchange on new after I've restored System State, and then restore to the new installation?)

Or should this be enough to restore my server:

Domain Controller
- System State

DNS
- System State (restores the whole System State, can't restore only DNS)
or/and
- %WINDIR%\System32\DNS (allows me to restore only DNS)

DHCP
- System State (restores the whole System State, can't restore only DHCP)
or/and
- %WINDIR%\System32\Dhcp\Backup (allows me to restore only DHCP)

IIS
- System State (restores the whole System State, can't restore only IIS metadata)
or/and
- %WINDIR%\system32\inetsrv\History (allows me to restore only IIS metadata)
and
- C:\Inetpub

Microsoft Exchange
- Information Store
- %WINDIR%\system32\iis\metaback

Fileserver
- System State (optional for disk quota settings (unverified))
- Public and User Shared Folders
- Other shared and stored folders and files


Do the printserver service get backed up in System State?

[CraigV · Accepted solution]

Well, disaster recovery for Exchange is something you need to do research on, and you can check this out on the Microsoft website.
To do a bare-metal restore, I would do the following:

1. Get the server up to OS level, with the same service pack as the dead server.
2. Get Backup Exec installed. Same version or newer than the version on the dead server.
3. Get Exchange installed, installing it to the exact same location as on the dead server.
4. Restore all files. This should restore the same permissions.
5. Restore Exchange. You'd have to do an Exchange disaster recovery to get it back up and running. You can check this out on the MS site.
6. Restoring the System State should get you your DHCP, DNS and IIS.

You can use Print Migrator to create a dump of your printer settings and shares, store this on a folder, and back up that folder.
I would try test this to make sure your restores are possible.

[CraigV]

Any news on whether this helped or not?

[banan2]

Every resource I have found or been given have helped me.

This is how I do a full restore of a server 2003 when something crashes:

1. Install the OS on the same server (or another one). Keep the same name and IP, and join a workgroup.
2. Install the same Service Pack as the server before the crash.
3. Install Backup Exec on a different location then the original location before the crash. This is just a temporary installation.
4. Restore all files and folders (don't restore MDBDATA in the Exchsrv folder)
5. Restart the server in Directory Services Restore Mode.
6. Start Backup Exec. If the BE services can't be started, change the Logon credentials on the BE services to local Administrator.
7. Restore System State while in Directory Service Restore Mode.
8. Restart the server and start it in normal mode. You have now restored AD, DNS, DHCP etc.
9. Install Microsoft Exchange in the same location as before the crash. Use d:\setup.exe /disasterrecovery to run the install.
10. Restore Microsoft Exchange from Backup Exec.

And so far it is working well. If you have any ideas or tips for how to improve feel free. And sorry for not answering before now.