Active Directory Backup

[bazcurtis]

Hi,

 

We are just testing our new Active Directory domain and I am looking for good technotes of how to use Retrospect to back up Active Directory. I don't seem to be able to find anything.

 

Does anyone know how to write the scripts in Retrospect 7.5 to backup Active Directory?

 

Best wishes

 

Michael

[natew]

Hi

 

Select the boot volume of your server for backup.

Run the backup.

 

Done. It is that simple.

 

You can verify that active was backed up by looking at the snapshot properties in the backup set properties.

 

Thanks

Nate

[Burnitall]

This only works if when you setup Active Directory you store it's database on your system drive. I recently learned my lessons with retrospect.

 

A. Do not use non standard system drive letter use C: only

B. Do not store active directory separate from system drive

 

I had my system drive fail. I had two Partitions

1'st Partition was original C drive remnant from Win Server 2000 now used for Active Directory

2'nd Partion was new E: drive used for current Win Server 2003 Ent. Ed.

 

When drive failed I replaced with new larger drive and split it just the same with E: being system drive. When I did a restore of my E: and C: drive windows no longer could start Active Directory and Restore mode for Active Directory did no allow me to login. It would accept password and start login then it would instantly log me back out.

 

I did make sure when I restored system drives to be running same Version of Windows 2003 ie SP1 with all updates. This was the first major problem I ran into with out disaster recovery cd you must be running same version of Windows when doing a restore to Active system drive.

 

I did try to create recovery cd with a SP1 but you'd lock at windows setup when it states "Starting Windows"

 

I am now rebuilding by hand lucky I have second Active Directory Domain controller so I may try to restore This my main server. But will be long process to start all services I had running.

 

2nd Problem Was when I did the last server Update when I restarted I forgot to login to Retrospect.

My question is why does it run as terminal service if it will not run scripts until you start it?

[pronto]

For a working restore of an active directory you need a backup from the systemstate. Normaly this is drive c:\. For a restore you don't need a script, you can initiate this by hand using the recovery option in retrospects console. The wizard will take you through this process, you only have to set the option 'restore system state' (analogous, i have a german version For an authoritativ restore you have to use ntdsutil *before* you reboot the system.

 

Please remember the supported procedere by microsoft for a restore of an active directory:

 

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/5d683eeb-e76c-46e9-92f4-fcb2a10f955f1033.mspx

 

Keep attention for an USN rollback, this makes your active directory corrupt, if you have more than one DC.

 

Bye Tom