A guide to backing up AD groups using RecoveryManager Plus

Active Directory (AD) groups are a fundamental component of AD that enable administrators to organize users and devices into logical units. AD groups streamline permission management and simplify user access to resources like files, folders, and applications. Backing up these groups is essential for organizations to ensure quick recovery of group settings and permissions in AD in case of accidental deletion, data corruption, or cyberattacks.

Consequences of not backing up AD groups

Failing to back up AD groups can have far-reaching effects on an organization's operational efficiency, security, and compliance. If AD groups are compromised or accidentally deleted, restoring them without a backup can be time-consuming and disruptive, leading to lost productivity and financial loss. This could also grant unauthorized users access to critical systems and data. RecoveryManager Plus allows you to back up all groups and their attribute changes, like the addition or deletion of group members, linked attributes, and naming attributes, and helps administrators reverse undesirable changes.

How to back up AD groups using RecoveryManager Plus

The following steps illustrate how you can perform AD group backup using RecoveryManager Plus.

1. Log in to RecoveryManager Plus as an administrator.
2. Navigate to the Active Directory tab > Settings > Backup Settings > Active Directory Objects.

   Figure 1: The Active Directory Objects Backup Settings page in RecoveryManager Plus.

3. From the Select OUs to backup drop-down, choose the OUs you want to back up.
4. In the Select object types to backup drop-down, choose Group as the object type.

   Figure 2: Selecting AD groups for backup.

5. From the Select Archive Repository drop-down menu, choose a repository to store backup archives.
6. From the Full backup scheduler drop-down menu, set the frequency at which full backups must be made to either weekly or monthly.
7. From the Incremental backup scheduler drop-down menu, set the frequency at which incremental backups must be made to either hourly, daily, or weekly.
8. Schedule the time when backups must be made from the Select backup time field.
9. Specify the duration for which you wish to retain deleted AD objects in the Deleted objects validity field.
10. If you wish to force replicate all changes made to domain controllers before any backup operation is initiated, select the Force Replication option.
11. To include disabled objects in the backup, select the Backup disabled objects option.
12. Click Save & Run.

With RecoveryManager Plus, administrators can restore individual groups without affecting the entire AD environment. You can restore deleted groups, along with their constituent members, with all their attributes intact. You can also restore security permissions and authorizations provided to security groups. Click here to learn how to restore AD groups.