Backup and Restore Problems via STSADM and Central Admin

[JonathanHerschel]

I am trying to create a SharePoint test server where I can take the backup of my client's farm (2 Front End, 1 SQL, 1 Index server) and backup via
stsadm -o backup  -url

http://webappname

-directory \\testservername\backups -overwrite -backupmethod full
I then am trying to restore on the stand-alone test server via
stsadm -o restore -url

http://newwebappname

-directory \\testserver\backups -restoremethod new -newdatabaseserver testservername
But, I am running into problems where when I try to look at the site, I get the SharePoint backround with 'no file found' error. the Databases were populated in SQL Server 2005, the web sites and app pools are populated and running. I also tried restoring via Central Admin in the new test server and cannot figure for the life of me why I am not getting a 'clean' restore. I have done this once or twice before with no problem. Can I be missing something?

My thoughts:
1. The client has features/solutions, etc deployed, but I swore that is part of the backup files, hence the name catastrophic restore, right?
2. Do I need to create a backup of the IIS? I saw one person recommending this, but ??....
3. Anything I could be missing? My college recomended putting <> around the c:\folder name in my STSADM commands..

Any help is appreciatted.

 

[JonathanHerschel]

Sorry, correction on my stsadm commands:
stsadm -o backup -directory \\testservername\backups -backupmethod full
I then am trying to restore on the stand-alone test server via
stsadm -o restore -directory \\testservername\backups -restoremethod new -newdatabaseserver testservername

 

[JonathanHerschel]

Ok, I wish I could turn this thread into a discussion, but in order to successfully backup and restore my SharePoint Farm from 5 servers to 1 test server, I had to backup AND Restore the following:
-12 Hive files
-IIS MetaBase
-Inetpub directory

And I have been told that if used, the following is not backed up in a STSADM backup /restore:
-Alternate Access Mappings
-Multiple Host Headers
-SSL Certificates
-Assigned IP addresses
-Custom Code (such as web parts, features, or workflows)
-Site Definitions
-Search Indexes
-Any changes to Windows Registry of your SharePoint servers

Any thoughts on this?
Maybe The STSADM Catastrophic restore should be called STSADM Catastrophic semi-restore?

 

[mmsys]

Jherschel:

There are some third party solutions that help with backing up the farm. You are correct in your findings that stsadm command has some limits when it comes to backing up the configuration files on the WFEs.

There are some tools in the market that fill in this gap, especially when it comes to having one synchronized backup solution. AvePoint has a backup solution that provides a complete backup of the WFEs servers as well as the DBs in SQL. You may be able to use the trial to test the backup/restore of your farms.

Hope this helps.