Restoring Main DC using Backup Exec

[ghelo]

HI,

I'm currently evaluating the product of Backup Exec 2014.

Just want to know if this is capable to restore full DC / Active Directory (Server 2008).

This is the scenario: 

I have Main AD and Secondary AD. I installed Backup Exec 2014 to my Main AD, and do the Full Backup.

Now I'm planning to reinstall the Operating System of my Main AD because of some OS files corruption and after the OS clean install I will install back the Backup Exec software to be able to restore the Datas.

My question is If ever i used that SystemState Restore from the Backup Exec option it will restore all the function of my Main AD (and automatically become same Main/Primary AD)? or is ther any method that I need to do?

Thanks in advance,

Ghelo

[AmolB]

Refer to the below article.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO23132

[pkh]

You might want to automate the recovery using SDR. Read the SDR chapter in the Admin Guide

[ghelo]

So in that case the SystemState is not usable to restore the DC?

[ghelo]

Hi AmoIB,

Restoring using SystemState will not working on that? like what was mentioned in admin guide below:

To restore System State

1 On the Backup and Restore tab, right-click the computer for which you want

to restore System State, and then click Restore.

2 Select Complete online restore of a computer, or restore system

components, and then click Next.

3 Follow the Restore Wizard prompts to restore the data.

4 After you restore System State data, restart the computer.

See “About backing up critical system components” on page 183.

See “Performing a complete online restore of a Microsoft Windows computer”

on page 239.

Please advise,

Thanks

[pkh]

What give you that idea? Restoring the DC is the only way to restore AD. I am suggesting SDR to automate the process

[ghelo]

Actually i don't want to restore the full datas of my Operating System, as there are a currepted files on it that is why i'm doing a clean format.

So in that case only SystemState restore is enought to restore the DC and Active Directory compenents?

Thanks,

Ghelo

[VJware]

There are 2 ways to restore the DC.

1) Via SDR as mentioned by pkh and this KB can be used - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH180099

2) Manual recovery which involves installing the operating system on the server and then using option "Complete online restore...". Follow this process - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH212802

[ghelo]

Yeah actully i already have SDR image file.

This will not restore my previous OS files right,? as i'm doing the format because my current OS has some currupted files.

[Colin_Weaver]

A couple of things to bear in mind:

1) The system state also can include some of the files in the file system, as such it is possible that depending one what files are actually corrupt vs when the last System State backup was taken you might end up recovering the problem files - if this is likely to happen you will be better off sorting out the FSMO roles onto your remaining DC, then building a new DC as a member which will then received replicated data from your remaining/active DC back to the newly built one to re-populate Active Directory without doing a restore. Note if you do not know how to re-assign the FSMO roles when the original owner has failed then you should review documentation from Microsoft.

2) You will need to make a decision as to wether the data in Active Directory on the second DC is the data you want to use or whether you want to take Active Directory back to the time of the backups of the first DC. This  descision in effect determines whether you need to do an authoritative or non-authoritative restore of the DC you have a probem with. Note if you do not understand the concept of non-authoritative vs authoritative then you should look  at documentation available against restoring Active Directory from Microsoft before you start to look at how this might be applied when doing a restore with Backup Exec.