Using SDR to restore a server from a network drive

[Rick_Masters]

We use BE2012 SP3

I have some existing backup jobs that duplicates to a NAS device.

I would then like to copy those backups to USB external hard drive.

My question is; Would it be possible to recover a server but booting from the SDR , connecting the external drive with the backup sets and

the SDR files on and performing the recovery.

[pkh]

You should never copy backup sets. You must always duplicate them. You can only do a SDR recovery from your USB disk if the media server is up, I.e., you are recovering a remote server. You cannot recover a media server from your USB drive because there is no .Dr file to point to the backup sets on the disk

[Colin_Weaver · Accepted solution]

I am not in a position to check this as not in the office, however I believe that you can still do an SDR from a USB disk using the non-automatic method inside the SDR environment that allows you to specify the .DR file and the backup set location (I have definitely done this with a network share so don't see why it won't work with USB) Note: You MUST have the .DR file even for the non-automethods. 

Note: There might be some complications if Incremental sets are involved and it is also possible that the manual copy from you NAS to the USB disk might also add a complication as well.

[pkh]

To get the .dr file for the backup sets on the USB disk, the backup must be done directly to the USB disk.  Duplicating backup sets to the USB disk will not produce a .dr file.

[Rick_Masters]

Thank you for your answers.