restoring server backups

[robbiehall]

Hi Guys,

What would you recommend for a recovery tool on a Windows 2003 server?
We use Symantec Backup Exec 11 to back up two servers (one via a Remote Agent) on to Ultrium 3 tapes. If we were unable to access the servers - because of damage or lack of access to the building - what would you use to restore to a bare metal server?

Cheers
Rob

[Moby-Dick]

don't think Backup Exec11 supports a true bare metal recovery of the top of my head.
what you would want is a server in your backup location with a tape drive and a copy of the software
of course if your server were virtual , then that type of recovery is easy

[oldboy47]

In a previous role I used Symantec to back up servers to tape. Following a mega failure we were able to restore data to new servers although we had real problems with exchange data. For this we had to extract individual mail boxes and restore, about 90% successful. Following that our disaster plan was revised to create an offsite replicated data copy.
'Ordinary' data is not a problem, programs and databases are. Just took lots of time.

[pardal51]

a guy at work has been kind of trying backupexec IDR (intellegent disaster recovery) for bare metal restore but hasn't been much successfull.
we also do offsite data replication (running rsync job - Linux). I believe a robocopy for windows is the same. If you have a decent link this shouldn't be an issue.

[Moby-Dick]

but thats only replicating data

if you have windows 2008 then you coudl always install hyper-v and host 1 Vm per server. it'll give you the advantages of being able to take the entire machine to a single file level backup

[robbiehall]

but thats only replicating data

if you have windows 2008 then you coudl always install hyper-v and host 1 Vm per server. it'll give you the advantages of being able to take the entire machine to a single file level backup

I first have to convince the powers-that-be of the benefits of adding another server to our inventory
So Moby, does the VM effectively create an encrypted file which contains all the program files, system state and data of the server that has been virtualised? What kind of size are we talking about, and what sort of tape backup would I need to put in place?

Thanks - to all so far
Rob

[Moby-Dick]

A virtual server comprises of a number of files , there is usually a couple of small meta data files which desribe machine name / config , then you have the virtual disk files ( vmware use the vmdk format , microsoft use VHD ) . by taking a backup of those files , you have a complete copy of the machine.

So as far as restores go you coudl restore those files to another virtual host , and start the machine up. you can also run backup exec agents in the machine to back things up at the data level if you really wanted to

VMDK/VHD files are not encrypted as such.encapsulated would be a better word.

[MaddAussie]

Virtualisation rocks my world tbh