How to full Restore SBS 2003 using NTBackup?

[marcomb69]

Hi

I am trying to use standard backup tool provided by Windows 2003 to make a full image of a SPS 2003 system.
The aim is to have a cheap solution to recovery a full SBS 2003 system, with all the components/services running perfectly after the restore. In particular I need to have a Exchange 2003 restored.

I read two documents to do this.
1)Backing Up and Restoring Windows Small Business Server 2003
2) Microsoft Exchange 2003 Disaster Recovery Operations Guide

The main question now is

1) Is it possible to BACKUP a FULL SBS 2003 system, format the partitions, reinstall it and do a FULL RESTORE from the previous backup and getting back a "full fledged" and operational machine?
2) If yes, how you do this on the Exchange part? All my test gave me back a very NON OPERATIONAL exchange
3) If no, which is the best practice to restore a FULL SBS 2003 system?

Thanks

Marco

 

[ShackDaddy]

The following assumes that you did an Exchange-aware backup, basically having the Information Store checked in the NTBACKUP selections when you did your full backup. A scheduled SBS backup has this by default.

After you do the full SBS restore, you'll want to mark your production Exchange databases for recovery (you'll see the checkbox in the properties) and run a separate IS restore for those. Before doing this, move any existing transaction log files OUT of the default directories before doing that. Because the IS gets backed up after the file system in a normal full SBS backup, you will have a lot of irrelevant log files in the critical log directory when you do a full server restore, and those can keep your IS from mounting after a restore.

Dave Shackelford
MCSE, CCNA, Microsoft MVP: Exchange
Shackelford Consulting

 

[marcomb69]

Hi

Thanks a lot. I have the feeling that somthing is missed on the Exchange part of the restore.
I just tried right now. There are at least two problems

The first, after the FULL RESTORE the Exchange Enterprise Manager is not working properly..

I decided to re-apply the Exchange Server SP2 (with the option /disasterrecovery, just in case) and this fix the console problem

Then I marked the Exchange IS databases for restore and I did a NTBACKUP IS restore only

The final situation is that the IS seems not properly restored. In facts, if I try to mount the IS database (right click on teh database, mount) I get a quite generic error (suggesting to re-start the IS service) and the IS database are not mounted. No way to came out from this situation

Marco

 

[ShackDaddy]

Before running the restore, did you move the existing transaction logs out of the directory they are stored in? What are the ESE event ID numbers in the App log?

Dave Shackelford
MCSE, CCNA, Microsoft MVP: Exchange
Shackelford Consulting

 

[marcomb69]

Hi

Yes, I cancelled all transaction log. I cancelled all LOG files from MDBDATA and from SERVERNAME.LOG

The only way to get back the IS (mount mailboxes and pfs) is running a "eseutil /p" (repair) that is a quite "radical" operation (a very scaring message pop up while you are doing it)

So in my actual lab test the best disaster recovery sequence I have is

1) SYSTEM BACKUP (not EX IS in) (all C drive + System State)using NTBACKUP
2) DATA BACKUP (MDBDATA, on drive D) using NTBACKUP

3) FORMAT PARTITION C (SYSTEM destruction)

4) INSTALL SBS (just first step, having the WIndows 2003 Running)
5) INSTALL WINDOWS 2003 SP2
6) SYSTEM RESTORE (NTBACKUP, using 1)
7) INSTALL EXCHANGE 2003 SP /DisasterRecovery
8) RUN ESEUTIL /p on both database
9) MOUNT DBs

Marco