Microsoft has completely changed the way backups and
backup media are managed with the release of Windows Server 2008. In
previous editions of Windows Server versions, the NT Backup utility
could back up the entire system or just a set of folders and files. The
backup could be stored on tapes or they could be stored in a single .bkf
file that is saved on a local disk or on a network shared folder.
Starting with Windows Server Backup for Windows Server 2008 and Windows
Vista, backups can be taken of only the entire system or volumes but
not of granular folders or files. With Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows
Server Backup supports backing up individual files and folders, and
exclusions can be added to backup jobs as well. Windows Server Backup
can store backups on dedicated locally attached disks on a DVD disk or
a set of disks, or the backup can be stored on a network shared folder.
Windows Server Backup can be
configured to run a scheduled backup or a manual backup. Either can be
run from the graphical user interface or the command-line utility, but
the backup options, including where the backup can be stored and the recovery options available, are different.
Windows Server Backup Managed Disks
Windows Server Backup can be
used to run a manual backup or it can be used to run a scheduled
backup. Scheduled backups can be stored on locally attached disks that
are dedicated to Windows Server Backup, a folder on a local volume, or
a network shared folder. When a scheduled Windows Server Backup job is
created, the administrator can define which locally attached disks,
folder, or network share will be used to store the backups. During the
creation of the scheduled job, if dedicated disks are selected, which
is recommended, the allocated disks will each be repartitioned and
reformatted. Windows Server Backup will stamp the disk volume to match
the time and date the scheduled job is created. By default, this disk
will only be available on the local system through the Windows Server
Backup program.
A Windows Server Backup
disk can have a drive letter added after the initial backup is created
if the disk needs to be accessed from within the operating system, from
across the network, or if the backup data needs to be copied to
additional disks or network folders for offsite storage. Although
adding a drive letter to a dedicated Windows Server Backup disk is not
recommended, it might be the only way or the most efficient way to make
the backup media available to an alternate system if the disk cannot be
locally attached to the alternate system. Getting access to this backup
data, however, might prove to be challenging from Windows Explorer and
might need to be accessed through Windows Server Backup. Backups
contained on a Windows Server Backup dedicated disk can be used to
restore an entire system, an entire volume, or a set of specified files
and folders.
DVD Media
When Windows Server 2008 R2
systems have a local DVD writer drive, which is highly recommended,
backups of Windows volumes and the complete system can be stored on DVD
media. Backups stored on DVD media will span several DVDs and can be
used when data needs to be restored to offsite servers or systems in an
isolated network. Backups stored on DVD media can only be used to
restore the entire Windows system or entire volumes. Selective restore
of files and folders cannot be performed using DVD backup media.
Network Shared Folders
When Windows Server Backup
is configured to back up to a network shared folder, backup
administrators need to consider a few things. First, the share and NTFS
permissions should be configured so that only backup administrators and
specific service accounts can access and read this data. Also, if this
share contains data that will be replicated by a third-party provider,
special permissions might need to be added to support this. Another
very important point to note about network shared folders for Windows
Server Backup is that only the most recent copy of the backup will be
stored there because each backup overwrites the previous. This is
unlike backup to dedicated disks, which can store multiple versions and
copies of a Windows Server 2008 R2 system backup.
