Chapter 12: Managing and Implementing Backups and Disaster Recovery

1
Chapter 12 Managing and Implementing Backups
and Disaster Recovery
2
Planning for Disaster Recovery

• Administrators need to be prepared for the
  possibility of server failure and/or file and
  folder loss at all times
• Ensuring availability a key responsibility
• Windows Server 2003 features
• The Backup utility
• Shadow Copies of Shared Volumes
• Automated System Recovery
• Recover configuration
• Must be used with install CD
• Applications and data need to be restored
• Advanced startup options
• The Recovery Console
• Command line trouble shooting tool

3
Backing Up and Restoring Data

• Backup utility designed to restore an operating
  system or data in case of failure
• Improved version of utility originally introduced
  in Windows 2000

4
Backing Up and Restoring Data (continued)

• Tasks that can be performed include
• Back up and restore files and folders
• Schedule a backup
• Back up Windows 2003 System State data
• Restore the Active Directory database
• Create an Automated System Recovery (ASR) backup

5
Backup and Restore Concepts

• Types of backups and backup hardware and software
  is dictated largely by the size and type of
  organization
• A key issue is backup authority
• Administrators, Backup Operators, and Server
  Operators have broad authority
• Other users may have some limited authority to
  back up certain files and folders
• Two main Group Policy rights
• Back up files and directories
• Restore files and directories

6
Backup Types

• Backup types include
• Normal backup
• All selected files and folders
• Clears the archive attribute
• Incremental backup
• Only files that have changed since last normal or
  incremental backup
• Clears the archive attribute
• Restore process is more complicated

7
Incremental Backup
8
Backup Types

• Differential backup
• Only files that have changed since last normal or
  incremental backup
• Does not clear the archive attribute
• Backup grows incrementally
• Restore process less complicated
• Daily backup
• Files or folders that were created or changed on
  the day of the backup
• Archive attribute is not changed
• Copy backup
• Exactly the same as a normal backup
• Doesnt change the archive attribute
• Intended as an archival copy

9
Differential Backup
10
Using the Backup Utility

• Commonly used to back up critical data and
  operating system files
• Can be used in two modes Wizard mode and
  Advanced mode
• Can be used to
• Back up System State data
• Restore Active Directory
• Access Automated System Restore feature

11
Using the Backup Utility (continued)
12
Backup
13
Scheduling Backups

• Backups can be scheduled to occur without
  interaction from an administrator
• Can schedule backups daily, weekly, monthly,
  predefined times, predefined days

14
Scheduling Backups (continued)
15
Backing Up and Restoring System State Data

• System State data includes
• Registry (always)
• COM Class Registration database (always)
• Boot files (always)
• Certificate Services database (if installed)
• Active Directory (on domain controllers)
• SYSVOL directory (on domain controllers)
• Important user configuration files
• Logon Scripts
• Default Profiles
• System policy files
• Cluster service (if part of a cluster)
• IIS Metadirectory (if IIS is installed)
• System files (always)

16
Backing Up and Restoring System State Data
(continued)

• These components should be backed up with
• Standard backups
• Directed System State backups
• Cannot back up individual components
• To restore
• Restart
• Choose Directory Services Restore mode advanced
  startup
• To restore Active Directory objects
• Must use authoritative restore so that
  replication doesnt overwrite corrections

17
Backup System State
18
Backup
19
Backup
20
Shadow Copies of Shared Folders

• Purpose of this utility is to make recovery of
  user files in shared folders easy without
  requiring an administrator
• Advantages for users
• Restoration of accidentally deleted files
• Recovery of previous versions of files
• Comparison of previous version to current version
• Shadow Copies not enabled by default, must be
  explicitly enabled from Properties of a drive
• Allows for Backup of open files

21
Shadow Copies of Shared Folders (continued)

• Shadow Copies is enabled for entire volume
  (cannot shadow specific files or folders)
• Copies are made on a pre-defined schedule
• By default, Shadow Copies uses 10 of available
  disk space (minimum 100 MB)
• When limit is reached, older copies are deleted

22
Previous Versions

• Network users must install additional software on
  their systems to access previous versions of
  files via Shadow Copies
• Client software provided in MSI format at
  systemroot\system32\clients\twclient\X86 (for
  Intel-based system)
• Twcli32.msi
• Adds an additional tab (Previous Versions) to
  Properties of files stored in shared Folders

23
Automated System Recovery

• This utility was introduced in Windows Server
  2003
• Main purpose is to restore a system to a
  functional state
• Allows user to restore system configuration
  settings, not data files
• Replaces ERD on earlier systems
• Two different elements
• ASR backup (accessed from Backup Utility)
• Floppy disk that contains information about
  backup, disk configuration, and how to perform a
  restore

24
Automated System Recovery (continued)

• User data files should be backed up before ASR
  and restored after ASR
• ASR backup should be done whenever system
  configuration is changed
• ASR backup created using the Automated System
  Recovery Wizard
• To recover, boot from Windows CD, select Repair
  option, use ASR floppy and backup to restore
  settings

25
Advanced Mode
26
Backup Advanced Mode
27
Advanced Startup Options

• Used to troubleshoot startup problems
• Provides a safe mode
• Only loads the default minimal required Windows
  Server 2003 settings and device drivers
• Windows Advanced Startup Options is accessed
  during system startup
• Press F8 from Boot Loader Operating System
  Selection menu

28
Advanced Startup Options (continued)
29
Advanced Startup Options (continued)
30
Last Known Good Configuration

• Allows you to recover from failed driver and
  registry changes
• You should not log on to your server if problems
  are evident during boot process because any
  incorrect configuration changes will update last
  known good configuration
• Cannot be used to resolve problems such as
  missing or corrupt files

31
The Recovery Console

• The Recovery Console is an advanced tool for
  experienced administrators
• It is used to
• Start and stop services
• Format drives
• Read and write data on a local hard drive
• Copy files from a floppy or CD to a local hard
  drive
• Perform administrative tasks
• Must logon with AD restore password

32
Installing the Recovery Console

• Two ways to start Recovery Console
• Run it from CD after a serious error by booting
  from the CD
• Install on computer permanently
• Once it is installed, it will be an option in the
  list of available operating systems during the
  initial boot process
• Recovery Console can only be run by an
  administrator

33
Installing the Recovery Console (continued)

• Variety of commands available through Recovery
  Console
• Use the Help command within the Console for a
  complete list of commands
• Common commands include
• copy
• disable / enable services or device drivers
• exit restarts computer
• fixboot writes a new partition boot sector
• fixmbr repairs the master boot record
• listsvc List all services

34
Save your system from disaster Backup frequently