BE12 to make full server backup

[Neily]

We have just installed Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) and I need to provide a document showing how to restore the entire system.

Its a long process to install the whole server and restore SQL etc, so I was hoping I could do weekly FULL backups of the entire server and then restore it.

However, my attempts to do this don't work.

Can anyone describe the process of what to do? I've had a successful full backup but can't restore it!!

Thanks
Neil

 

[LawnBoy]

Sounds like what you want is a bare-metal restore. Vanilla BE is not intended for such, it is a backup and archiving process (they probably have add-ons that will do this, I'm not sure)

There are many ways to approach this, what I do is to use Acronis True Image to make a complete disk image of the server (Ghost will also work, I just prefer Acronis). In between these image snapshots I use BE to make regular backups.

When it's time to restore, just reload the disk image, and then use BE to to restore to whatever point in time you need.

I can usually completely rebuild a server and have it placed back in service in an hour (depending on how much data I need to recover from tape (i.e. whether that server is on the NAS)). The nice thing about Acronis is that they have a Universal Restore option that will allow you to reload the image onto different hardware.



"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[Neily]

Hey LawnBoy...

I was starting to think it wasn't possible myself.

I've used BE for a few years but only ever to restore folders/SQL DBs to servers that have already been installed.

Its just that I never installed VSTS so to do it identically as they did (which is probably required to get the point-in-time restore working) will probably take a while.

I thought a backup of the entire system and then incremental and full backups of the "required" folders & SQL DBs would be much faster!

I'll certainly have a look at Acronis as I've used their home product for a while now.

Thanks again.

Neil