Windows Server 2008 R2 Backup solution..?

[Boing7898]

Hey guys, I’d like to know what is the best Backup application for Windows Server 2008 R2, also not freeware. Windows Backup doesen’t seems cool (LOL?) and Acronis True Image (also the Echo version for server) don’t work with 2008 R2 so, which one I can use? Thanks =3

[halladayrules]

The Windows Server backup utility really contains everything you need to backup your files. First of all I would ask what is your objective? Do you want to back up the ENTIRE operating system? System setting, documents, pictures, videos, programs, the operating system… the whole 9 yards. Or do you just want to back up individual important stuff like documents, pictures, videos, thats it and if the operating system becomes un-bootable due to hardware failure or virus you could care less and just reinstall everything if need be?

The Windows Server Backup utility can do all this you just have to grasp a concept of understanding how to use it. If you want to include your operating system in the backup image just select the system state backup during the backup process… other then that you are just backing up files and folders. If you do not include the system state backup in the backup image if something goes wrong (virus, whatever) you have to reinstall the OS and programs all over again.

Also another thing is as long as you keep the same hardware and replace the hard drive with the same storage size (for example if you have a 500GB you have to buy another 500GB no more no less) you can restore your OS from a hard drive failure (physical).

If you are unsatisfied with the user interface, options of the built-in Windows Server Backup utility it is possible (through a MSI editor) to trick the Acronis True Image Home (for non-server editions) to work on R2. View Arris’ post here

[Boing7898]

Hmm, but with Windows Server Backup, if I can’t boot to Windows Server 2008 R2 how I restore the system files? Windows Server Backup can compress backups? And a thing that I need and I haven’t finded is the backup to another external hard drive. I’ve only seen the backup to DVD, correct me if I’m wrong. Answer me this question and maybe I’ll stick with Server Backup 🙂

[144Floppy]

Hi!
You can use the installation disk and select the repair computer option the get access to Windows Server Backup to restore the system.
I’m not sure if Windows Server Backup utility uses compression.
The utility supports backup to another internal harddrive, external harddrive or a network storage.

[halladayrules]

@Boing7898 wrote:

Hmm, but with Windows Server Backup, if I can’t boot to Windows Server 2008 R2 how I restore the system files?

Provided you included the system state backup in your backup solution you can just use the Server 2008 R2 installation disc which comes with the recovery environment built-in. Just select repair on the main installation screen and choose System Image Recovery.

@Boing7898 wrote:

Windows Server Backup can compress backups?

Windows Server Backup uses the Volume Shadow Copy service to create a virtual hard disk (.vhd) image of your computer, which is already pre-compressed. Admittedly, the compression rate isn’t as great as consumer products like Acronis which offer far greater compression rate. But to play devils advocate if you can’t afford a 500GB hard drive at Best Buy for like $60 then you shouldn’t be backing up the entire OS. The price of 1GB now is about 11 cents. Windows Server Backup isn’t the greatest, but its really simple to use and less complicated than consumer based ones that have all these options. Granted they have all the option but you have to pay a premium for it. Hard disk cloning is probably the best feature Acronis has that WSB does not have.

@Boing7898 wrote:

And a thing that I need and I haven’t finded is the backup to another external hard drive. I’ve only seen the backup to DVD, correct me if I’m wrong.

Plug in your external hard drive to your computer.
Verify that the drive is active in Windows Explorer (Start > Computer)
Open Windows Server Backup
Click “backup once…”
In the backup schedule, you have two options: full or custom > choose Custom
in the What Volumes do you want to backup? Do you see the external HDD?

I have a 500GB Western Digital Elements USB 2.0 external and I can both choose the external HDD as a backup target or choose the device itself as the source.

I’m using Windows Server 2008 btw though. The utility should behave the same though so me running the previous version of server should have nothing to do with it.

It’s also very important that you test your backup to verify that everything backed up properly. Also you could buy a 2nd hard drive that is the same exact size as your current drive and use that drive to simulate a hard drive failure. Mount the newly purchased hard drive in your computer and unplug the current HDD and plug it into your new one to simulate a hard disk failure (pretend). Then insert DVD installation disc and select the backup source (provided you have gotten it to work) and see if it restores your computer.

[144Floppy]

If you are looking for a freeware then I can suggest the following program:
http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
It uses the same service as Windows Server Backup utility and the output can be compressed as well, what they call, in an open format.

During a total recovery the destination disk need to have the same size or larger size than the original.

[Boing7898]

@halladayrules wrote:

@Boing7898 wrote:

Hmm, but with Windows Server Backup, if I can’t boot to Windows Server 2008 R2 how I restore the system files?

Provided you included the system state backup in your backup solution you can just use the Server 2008 R2 installation disc which comes with the recovery environment built-in. Just select repair on the main installation screen and choose System Image Recovery.

@Boing7898 wrote:

Windows Server Backup can compress backups?

Windows Server Backup uses the Volume Shadow Copy service to create a virtual hard disk (.vhd) image of your computer, which is already pre-compressed. Admittedly, the compression rate isn’t as great as consumer products like Acronis which offer far greater compression rate. But to play devils advocate if you can’t afford a 500GB hard drive at Best Buy for like $60 then you shouldn’t be backing up the entire OS. The price of 1GB now is about 11 cents. Windows Server Backup isn’t the greatest, but its really simple to use and less complicated than consumer based ones that have all these options. Granted they have all the option but you have to pay a premium for it. Hard disk cloning is probably the best feature Acronis has that WSB does not have.

@Boing7898 wrote:

And a thing that I need and I haven’t finded is the backup to another external hard drive. I’ve only seen the backup to DVD, correct me if I’m wrong.

Plug in your external hard drive to your computer.
Verify that the drive is active in Windows Explorer (Start > Computer)
Open Windows Server Backup
Click “backup once…”
In the backup schedule, you have two options: full or custom > choose Custom
in the What Volumes do you want to backup? Do you see the external HDD?

I have a 500GB Western Digital Elements USB 2.0 external and I can both choose the external HDD as a backup target or choose the device itself as the source.

I’m using Windows Server 2008 btw though. The utility should behave the same though so me running the previous version of server should have nothing to do with it.

It’s also very important that you test your backup to verify that everything backed up properly. Also you could buy a 2nd hard drive that is the same exact size as your current drive and use that drive to simulate a hard drive failure. Mount the newly purchased hard drive in your computer and unplug the current HDD and plug it into your new one to simulate a hard disk failure (pretend). Then insert DVD installation disc and select the backup source (provided you have gotten it to work) and see if it restores your computer.

I’ve choosed to use Windows Server Backup but I have (again) some questions: Why if I try to do Backup Once it only uses 27GB and when I try Backup Schedule it uses like 70GB? P.S. I want to backup the entire server.
P.S: Its better if I use an external drive or I use my second internal drive?

[halladayrules]

@Boing7898 wrote:

I’ve choosed to use Windows Server Backup but I have (again) some questions: Why if I try to do Backup Once it only uses 27GB and when I try Backup Schedule it uses like 70GB? P.S. I want to backup the entire server.
P.S: Its better if I use an external drive or I use my second internal drive?

By default the Backup Schedule selects a full backup I believe. Full backup includes all system volumes, including the internal drive you plan to use as the backup source. I assume you must have 27GB worth of data on your OS drive (C:) and roughly 50GB used on your D: drive (2nd internal drive). You can backup to an external HDD but the internal ones have higher read/write speeds, plus they are less expensive. I like the custom backup option better because it allows me to expand my backup size in the future if space becomes tight. Here is a picture of my HDD layout. The future is just an example of what I could use. For example if I get to a point where I have over 500GB worth of music, videos, ISOs, that it exceeds 500GB i’ll just go out and buy a 1TB to accommodate more space. Then simply re-image the computer again, and copy and paste all the data into the larger drive. If you require more than 2TB which is hard for some of us (including myself) to do you can always buy a hard drive enclosure and a RAID controller (provided your mobo supports this option) and then slap (4) 1TB or 2TB HDDs together and have up to 8TB (8000GB) worth of backup space available. If the slim chance comes that 500GB is not enough to store programs only on my system I can always fork out money and buy Acronis (server edition one) and perform a migration to a larger drive without losing any data. Then after that I will reimage the computer to the backup source again to preserve all my programs, settings, etc.

[ExpertUser]

Interesting answer and valid too.

TY halladayrules. 😉

At the moment Acronis Server Edition seems to have some issues on R2.

Lots of users have encountered the problem that Acronis Agent Service is not available (does not start correctly ?!?) after R2 reboot. This information comes from Acronis KB Web Site.

It’s also reported to cause BSOD (experienced it myself on a MSI mobo). But somehow it works in VM’s whether Hyper-V or Vmware !?!!?….

Anybody have an idea ?

R2 and Serv08 SP2 have a good backup tool, I use it and about some time ago I changed OS HDD and I just used ERD boot DVD and restored back my R2 without any problems.

Regards,

ExpertUser

PS : Link for DaRT 😉

http://www.mediafire.com/file/l83lssmvxmyvshm/DaRT.rar

Explanations :

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/products/mdop/dart.aspx

[Author]

Posts