IDR - Restore to another server 1

[stomas73]

I'm trying to restore a live production system to another server. My question is if this is possible or not. Here's the scenario:

1. We have a production ftp server that cannot be take offline because it's a customer facing server. Let's call it ftserver1

2. I performed an IDR of ftserver1 and created the ISO image. i then stopped and disabled the Backup Exec Remote Agent Service.

3. I then modified the winnt.sif file in the ISO image. I changed the MAC address and IP address to point to the new server - ftserver2 as I'm trying to restore to this server).

4. I booted ftserver2 with the IDR ISO, and was successful, all the way to where the remote server was able to kick off a restore job on our Backup Exec Server. However, the IDR restore job tried to restore to ftserver1 which couldn't connect.

The question i have is if it's possible to redirect that restore job to send it to ftserver2, rather than ftserver1. I didn't point the hosts and lmhosts file to ftserver2 as I didn't want to take that route... yet.

if anyone has any experience with unique situation, i would certainly appreciate any recommendations.

Thanks,
Syd

 

[steveot]

No its not possible your defeating the purpose of IDR and you modifying to something that would be unsupported and who know what the results would be. No possbile to re-direct the IDR restore becuase you cant re-direct Shadow Copy components or system state on any server with any backup program including NTBACKUP..it would restore those components. If you trying to clone the server try using Backup Exec System Recovery.

IDR in 11d is more flexable as far as restoring to different hardware. For testing whey dont you backup ftserver1 to disk (usb drive) then take the usb drive to ftserver2 and run the restore locally as designed.

 

[TigerDivision]

Forget IDR and go for Acronis with the Universal Restore option. They have trial versions which you can download and test.

Pierre

 

[stomas73]

Thanks for all the tips. Fortunately, I was able to get this to work. It's a solution that Symantec doesn't support but it worked just fine.

I was able to "trick" the Backup Exec server to redirect the restore job to ftserver2 by adding it's IP address in the hosts and lmhosts file but giving it the name of ftserver1.

I then modified winnt.sif in the IDR ISO image and changed the hostname, MAC address and IP address to point to ftserver2.

I booted into the IDR Boot CD and it was able to successfully start the restore jobs, and Backup Exec restored to ftserver2

After the restore, I booted the server off the network, ran Sysprep and booted it back on the network. I joined it to the domain as ftserver2 and the system runs normally. I now have a duplicate server on the network to test our patch update process without having to take down the production server.

 

[Assistnet]

Stomas73,

I am trying to restore a SQL Server from and IDR to another server. I did not quite follow the steps you listed. For example how did you change the drivers in the ISO image? If you could provide more details I would be very appreciative.

Thank you,

 

[stomas73]

Assistnet,

To modify any files in an ISO image, you would need to use an ISO manager to write or delete files from the image. I use MagicISO to do this.

Once I opened the ISO, I modified the winnt.sif file in the i386 directory. The section that I modified were:

[UserData]
FullName="*"
OrgName="*"
ComputerName=<Host name of the orginal server>
ProductID=

[params.Adapter1]
NetCardAddress=0x<MAC Address>

[params.MS_TCPIP.Adapter1]
SpecificTo=Adapter1
DHCP=No
IPAddress=<IP address of the server being restored>
SubnetMask=<SM>
DefaultGateway=<Gateway>
WINS=No
DNSServerSearchOrder=<DNS Servers>


Save the winnt.sif file and replace it with the one in the ISO image.

Then add an entry on the hosts file on the IDR server of the original SQL server name to the IP address of the new SQL server name. (This is the section where I had to "trick" IDR to restore to the original server.)

Disable the Backup Exec Remote Agent on the original SQL server, as a safety precaution before restoring to the new server. Or, if you have VLANs, move the IDR and new SQL server into its own VLAN.

Try this and let me know how this works for you.

 

[Assistnet]

Stomas73 need some help. the winnt file code is not matching with what you were trying to describe to me. WOuld you consider emailing me at jefferyscottpatton@yahoo.com with a way to contact you or at least be able to share what the winnt file looks like. I know they don't like to give out emails.

I am simply trying to recreate my sql server on a different server with different hardware set up. Your article is the only one that I have found to be helpful. I will be forever indebted for your help on this.

Thank you.

 

[steveot]

Assisnet - Event with the modification to the code the IDR will not work to different hardware. It has to be the same or close to the orginal hardware. If # of processors has changed, or raid controller has changed then if the restore is sucessful you may get a blue screen.

All - you should look into Backup Exec 11d since the IDR will allow you to do a bare metal restore to any hardware or look at Backup Exec system recovery BESR.

 

[Assistnet]

Steveot I am using Backup 11d and when I called Symantec they could not help me. They stated it had to be the exact hardware then when I saw this article I thought there might be hope. Any other ideas.

Thanks

 

[TigerDivision]

Ditch IDR and go for Acronis True Image Enterprise Server 9.1 I use it for my bare-metal restores and Disaster Recovery. In a disaster when you restore to a server it's definitely going to be a different server with different specs! Intelligent Disaster Recovery? What's so intelligent about it?! It should have been removed ages ago by Symantec.

Pierre

 

[steveot]

Assistnet: Im assuming you restore to different hardware without changing the servername. IDR is not made for chaning server name. I havent had any problem with it. Only some slight issue with NIC driver other than that I have restored 1 processor system to 2 processor system without issue.

 

[Assistnet]

Okay here is exactly what I am trying to do and I appreciate any and all input. Just like Stomas73 was trying to do I am wanting to do but with my SQL Server. We have a server3 and I want to move it to new hardware and call it server3b for now. Then if serve3 should get messed up I can move the DATA over from a backup and put server3b in action. According to Stomas73 this is possible using the IDR and changing the code in WINNT.sif file So I tried this and I am not sure if I did not put in the information correctly when I tried to rework the Winnt.sif file. but I have not been able to get it to work as of yet.

We do not have Acronis but we do have Ghost is this possible with Ghost?

Thank you all,

 

[steveot]

IDR is not a migration tool to new server name. Backup Exec is not designed to migrate servers to different names just different hardware (11d) with same name. Acronis or Backup Exec System recovery is going to yeild the same results just you will have to change the servername after you restore the server. I dont know much about Acronis but the last time I look I didnt see an option to change the servername after a restore. Acronis and BESR work at the disk sector level.

In your description sound like you looking for more failover than anything (clustering) or using Backup Exec to replicate the data (SQL) or Backup exec Replication Exec.

 

[Assistnet]

I understand that it is not meant for that purpose but according to Stomas73 they were able to do just that. So last night I was able to get it to a point where it asked for the Network drivers and I tried to put the driver in and it would not take it. When I am recreating the ISO do I need to put the different drivers in there some where?