Opinions wanted on Windows Server Backup on 2008

Recently we were trying to come up with recommendations for a customer for
the best backup for Window Server 2008 and SBS 2008. We were discussing how
the new Windows Server Backup built into 2008 had completely changed the
paradigm on backups with no tape support, etc. I told our salesperson that I
didn’t have much experience with the new backup. So she called Microsoft and
Microsoft told her that the built in Windows Server Backup was really
intended for production backups and that she should buy a third-party
solution. She thinks that Microsoft was trying to sell her their backup
solution.

So I want to know what people’s real-world experience is with Windows Server
Backup that is built into Server 2008 and SBS 2008. Do you use it? If not,
why not? If so, does it work? Do you use inexpensive external hard drives,
removable data cartridges like HP and Dell offer, or something else? Have
you ever had to do a simple restore of some data and how did that go? Have
you ever had to use it to recover an entire server and how did that go? Have
you ever had to use it to recover an entire server to different hardware (in
particular different array controller drivers) and how did that go?

I would love to hear from regular techs on this. If anyone from Microsoft
sees this, I would like to hear your opinion as well.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hello DrewW,

Within 2008 MS changed it's way of backup. Folder level backups are not longer
possible. You can use only voume disk based solution for backup. Becuase
it is stored as .vhd file you can mount this kind of backup and restore files/folders
from that backup, just not builtin there you can restore only complete volumes/disks.

You are limited with backup devices. At all it depends on your needs, ho
wyou hwill handle your backup. Basically the inbuilt options are enough to
backup and restore everything you need.

For more functionality you have to use another solution.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!!

<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Recently we were trying to come up with recommendations for a customer
> for the best backup for Window Server 2008 and SBS 2008. We were
> discussing how the new Windows Server Backup built into 2008 had
> completely changed the paradigm on backups with no tape support, etc.
> I told our salesperson that I didn't have much experience with the new
> backup. So she called Microsoft and Microsoft told her that the built
> in Windows Server Backup was really intended for production backups
> and that she should buy a third-party solution. She thinks that
> Microsoft was trying to sell her their backup solution.
>
> So I want to know what people's real-world experience is with Windows
> Server Backup that is built into Server 2008 and SBS 2008. Do you use
> it? If not, why not? If so, does it work? Do you use inexpensive
> external hard drives, removable data cartridges like HP and Dell
> offer, or something else? Have you ever had to do a simple restore of
> some data and how did that go? Have you ever had to use it to recover
> an entire server and how did that go? Have you ever had to use it to
> recover an entire server to different hardware (in particular
> different array controller drivers) and how did that go?
>
> I would love to hear from regular techs on this. If anyone from
> Microsoft sees this, I would like to hear your opinion as well.
>
> Thanks in advance!
> <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

On 08/27/09 16:38, DrewW wrote:<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> I would love to hear from regular techs on this.<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

I personally do not think that the new image based backup solution
included with Windows (SB) Server 2008 is even remotely a comparable
product with the NT Backup that was included with NT / 2k / 2k3.
Granted both will back things up and restore them, but in a completely
different way.

I feel like the new image based backup is more appropriate for an
environment running virtualization where you would simply shut down the
running (VM) and boot reboot it using the backup .vhd file or mount it
elsewhere. As good as this may be for this type of environment, I do
not think it is even remotely close to appropriate for a smaller
installation (<= 3 servers / <= 25 workstations).

For many years I have been using a copy of NT Backup / VSS / RoboCopy /
etc. to back systems up. Lately I've been using NT Backup to save the
system state to a .bkf file and then RoboCopy to copy all other files
with appropriate permissions / ownership from what ever system I want to
what ever backup location I want. I have multiple clients backing
multiple systems up like this across the network to an Imation Odyssey
drive (very nice product if you ask me) shared off of one server. I
simply have a directory structure on the Odyssey like the following:

O:\Backups
\%ComputerName%
\C
...
\System State

This has worked out exceedingly well in that I get a good system state
every night as well as having a full copy of all files in a directory
structure that is readily accessible. This means that I don't have to
have the backup utility installed to restore something.

Further with things like RoboCopy (throw in there the recent discussion
of using VSS to copy open files) I am able to copy only the files that
have changed. Thus backup times is down to an order of minutes verses
what could be hours on tape.

As an added benefit, this is simply a directory structure on a file
system somewhere. As such I can have as may Odyssey cartridges / flash
drives / external hard drives / mapped network drives / etc. as I want
and I can rotate them and maintain as much history as I want. Further,
if you use VSS on the target drive, you can maintain versioning too.

This NT Backup style of backup is (IMHO) much easier to work with in
that I do not have to dedicate an entire disk / partition to backups.
If I want to throw other files (say data that was recovered from a
failing workstation drive...) on the Odyssey, I can. If I use the new
backup built in to Windows (SB) Server 2008, I can't.

....

I'm going to stop before I go too far.

In short, I find the new method of backups to be very limiting in a
smaller (read: non virtualized) environment. As such I am being forced
to look for another 3rd part alternative because Microsoft has removed
NT Backup from Windows (SB) Server 2008. ....Now where did I put that
copy of NovaNET???
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Thanks in advance!<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

*nod*

You asked, and you got a kettle of fish.



Grant. . . .


P.S. One parting comment: NT Backup allowed me to back up just the
file(s) / folder(s) that I wanted to. Where as the new Windows (SB)
Server 2008 backup is an entire file system, even if I only want one file.

 

Grant,

This was very helpful! Quick followup question: do you know of a product
out there like ntbackup that will just backup the Server 2008 System State to
a simple backup file?

Thanks,
Drew

 

On 08/28/09 14:06, DrewW wrote:<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> This was very helpful!<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

I'm glad that it helped.
<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Quick followup question: do you know of a product out there like
> ntbackup that will just backup the Server 2008 System State to a
> simple backup file?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

I wish I did.



Grant. . . .