Backing up Windows 2003 Cluster

[myuserid7]

Hi,
We have a 2-node Windows 2003 Cluster.
In CV console I have:
1 x Virtual Server name - Cluster1
1 x NodeA name - ClusterNodeA
1 x NodeB name - ClusterNodeB

When backing up the system state for system recovery, should I be backing up

1. All the 3 instances individually
2. Only the 2 Nodes
3. Only the virtual server

Appreciate your help with this
Thanks

 

[Sybje]

My opnion is to back-up the system states of the two Nodes. Those two you need to reestablish your cluster in case of system recovery.

At least, that's the way i protect my cluster servers.

If someone has a different opinion, I also would like to hear.

With regards, Bart

 

[birky]

Sybje is correct in that you just need to enable Sys State on the Physical Nodes.

Backups of a System State Subclient are disabled for virtual servers by default.

Use the System State Subclient (or select Backup System State on the default subclient) on the active Physical Node to back up and restore system state data for the cluster.

To back up the cluster database, Cluster Service must be running on the physical node.

 

[myuserid7]

Thanks Sybje and Birky,

While waiting for a response to this post, I did a backup of the Virtual server along with the two nodes.

Looking at the size of the backup. The two physical nodes backed up about 10GB each. But the Virtual server backed up about 125GB.
Wonder what the Virtual server is backing up ??

 

[birky]

What is hosted on the virtual?

 

[Sybje]

I hope the figures don't only be the system state back-ups...

If you have filesharing on your clusters, normally the default subclient of your virtual server contains all (SAN-)harddisks...

Data protection for the physical nodes only contains the local hard disks... So 10 GB sounds very normal to me...

Regards, Sybje

 

[myuserid7]

In response to Birky's question. "What is hosted on the virtual?"

This cluster hosts files shares. So that about the only thing that the Virtual Server name is hosting.

But that data is worth about 350GB. Sitting on a connected SAN.

Perhaps it backed up other stuff on the SAN drive minus the 350GB data above as that is getting backed up by another backupset.

 

[birky]

Best to do a report for the virtual and see exactly what is being backed up.

I think you are right and you will find that Galaxy is backing up other stuff on the SAN.