Windows server backup configuration

RecoveryManager Plus supports three backup configuration options.

Bare metal backup – This method allows you to back up all parts of your Windows servers, including the system state, all system partitions, and all files and folders present in the server. Using a bare metal backup, you can restore the entire server from scratch in case of a complete breakdown.
Volume level backup – This method allows you to back up individual volumes of your Windows server, for example, a local drive.
File level backup – This method allows you to back up individual folders or files in your Windows server. For instance, you can configure a backup schedule for a documents folder that is very critical to your organization.

This section will elaborate on how you can set up Windows servers and domain controllers for backup.

When you are configuring a server for backup for the first time,

Navigate to Active Directory → Windows Server → Backup Configuration.
A list of all domain controllers and servers present in the selected domain will be listed. Select the servers that you wish to configure for backup and click Configure for Backup.
In the pop-up that appears, select the frequency at which the servers must be backed up fully. By default, the schedule is set to run every Sunday at 02:00 AM. To modify the schedule, click the icon and select from the list of available options: Monthly, weekly, or daily.
If you do not require RecoveryManager Plus to take incremental backups of your servers, do not select the Require Incremental Backup option.
To take incremental backups, select the Require Incremental Backup. Choose the frequency at which the incremental backups must be taken. By default, the schedule is set to run Daily at 05:00 AM. To modify the schedule, click the icon and select from the list of available options: Monthly, weekly, or daily.
In the Repository field, click the drop-down box to select from the list of all available repositories. If no repositories are available, click the icon to add a new repository.
- In the Repository Name field, enter a name for the repository.
- In the Repository Path, enter the path to the location where you wish to save the backups.
- Enter the credentials of a user that can read and write the content in the specified storage location and click Add.
Enter the number of full backups that you wish to retain in the Retain last field.
Select Encryption if you wish to encrypt your backups. Enter and confirm as password for your encryption.
Based on the type of backup (bare metal, volume level, file level) you wish to perform, drag and drop the server to the corresponding field.
If you choose to back up at the volume or file level, you’ll have to specify the volumes or files that are to be backed up by the product.
- To specify the volume or file, hover over the server name and click the icon.
- Enter the credentials of a user who can access the volume or file to be backed up and click Save.
- Select the volumes/files that you wish to backup and click Save.
Note: If you have configured a schedule to back up a specific volume or folder, any new files/folders created within the selected volume or folder will also be backed up during the next backup cycle.
Click Configure to complete setting up the server for backup.