Can IDR be used to restore to different disk hardware?

[Mark_Burger_Bur]

I currently have a SBS 2003 server which is configured with a non-RAID disk system. I�m using Backup Exec 10d with the IDR option to backup the server nightly. My backups are failing because of a problem with one of the SCSI hard drives (the drive is in �predictive failure� state and the event logs indicate that there are bad blocks). The backup failure is limited to a portion of the system state data. If I begin to create a new restore job I'm able to select all portions of the system state with the exception of the event log. I want to add a RAID controller and new hard disks to the server to gain redundancy in the disk system. The new mirrored RAID volume will have identical capacity to the old non-raid drives. I'd like to use IDR to restore onto the new hardware. I have two questions concerning the restore:

1. Will I be able to restore the server onto the new RAID controller and drives by installing the RAID controller�s driver during the first part of the IDR restore?

2. Will IDR allow me to restore (or attempt to restore) from a tape containing a backup that is not completely successful?

Thanks,

Mark

[Ken_Putnam]

1) I won't touch IDR, but have done the same thing with manual DR.

2) yes. as long as the tape itself is readable, you can restore from it. Depening on what caused the "Failed Status" you may or not have a bootable system after the restore

[Mark_Burger_Bur]

Thanks for the reply. I've heard others speak negatively about IDR; what wrong with it? Is it improved in v11?

When you say "manual dr" I assume you mean re-installing the OS, Exchange, SQL, AD, Backup Exec then performing the restore. Is that correct?

I guess I was leaning towards IDR because I'd prefer a less time consuming solution. Do you have any other recommendations?

[Ken_Putnam]

What does IDR actually do?

1) it installs a basic OS with networking, and then boots it
2) it then connects to the media server and restores the old system, System State, disk files, database files etc
3) Boots the restored system


What do you do in a manual Disaster Recovery?
1) Install a basic OS with networking, and then boot it
2) Connect to the media server and restore the old system - System State and disk files
3) Boot and restore database files
4) Boot the restored system

In a DR situation, I want to see exactly where I am, and when/if something goes wrong, want to know exactly what failed, so I can most expeditiously fix the problem and get on with the restore. I do NOT want a wizard between me and the process.

OK so I have one extra boot, but the restore times themselves are exactly the same, right? And I can partition the disks the way I want them, rather than being locked into IDR recreating the disk layout/sizes the way it was before.Message was edited by:
Ken Putnam

[Mark_Burger_Bur]

You make some good points about the increased level of control with a manual DR. Below is a link to the SBS 2003 restore doc that I would use in a manual DR.

http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/243037.htm

It seems that IDR would save me time by not requiring and installation of Exchange and SQL? Is that accurate? Do you know if there are any updated docs for performing an SBS 2003 restore?

[Ken_Putnam]

The manual Restore of the System State and associated disk files should obviate the need to install and patch SQL and/or Exchange

[Deepali_Badave]

Hello,

There are specific limitations that should be known before an attempt to restore a full system backup to a computer with different hardware is attempted:


Restoration to a computer with more or less processors than the original computer is not supported (i.e. Dual processor to Quad processor or Dual processor to Single processor).
Restoration to a computer of a different platform (CPU) than the original computer is not supported (i.e. Intel to Alpha).
Only the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) controllers that are installed and configured before the graphical portion of the IDR process can be used to restore during the recovery process (see Related Documents for more information). To add original equipment manufacturer (OEM) third party SCSI drivers (that are not present on a standard Windows NT CD), select Custom Setup instead of Express Setup in the text portion of the IDR process and add the driver manually.
If SCSI device drivers are used that rely on later service pack revisions to function, they may not work properly when installed during the IDR process, since the IDR process is based on the Windows NT CD that was used when the IDR diskettes were created. In most cases, the Windows NT CD either had Windows NT/2000 Service Pack 1 or no service pack incorporated on it.
If the video hardware differs, IDR will not attempt to install new video drivers. Instead, the restored NT/2000 operating system will boot into Video Graphics Array (VGA) compatibility mode. Once booted, a new video driver will have to be installed manually.
Although networking support is installed for Remote IDR, network interface drivers will not be moved into the restored NT/2000 operating system. If the network interface hardware has changed, the old network interface card (NIC) drivers will have to be uninstalled via the Control Panel | Network icon, and new device drivers installed (see Related Documents for more information).
Any third party device drivers that are installed at the time of backup may fail during the IDR process if the new hardware does not support them. The offending drivers will have to be removed manually from the restored Windows NT/2000 installation, once it is operational.

This information is only to be used as a reference for Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 disaster recovery. The Backup Exec for Windows NT and Windows 2000.

Intelligent Disaster Recovery option is not supported as a PC cloning utility for the duplication of systems. In addition, the Intelligent Disaster Recovery procedure is limited by any limitations of the Windows NT/2000 operating system.


Regards,