Bootable Windows Server Backup

[FOBSIDE]

Is there a way to create a bootable Windows backup of servers? I've seen a few programs out there, but they backup everything only when it is closed. I know if you have something small like a Word document, it will still backup, even though it is opened, but when you get into things like SQL databases or Exchange, you can't exactly stop them from running just so you can back up. I don't even know if something like ACT! would backup if a client left it open.

Ideally, I'd like to back up to a USB drive and be able to boot off of that without losing any data if possible. What solutions are available? I don't want to break the bank doing this, but what have you guys found to work?

Thanks in advance for any help and answers.

 

[FOBSIDE]

I thought of something. I don't know if this is even possible, but would it be possible to add a RAID mirroring across USB or some other external interface?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: FOBSIDE
I thought of something. I don't know if this is even possible, but would it be possible to add a RAID mirroring across USB or some other external interface?

Yep, not for a boot device. It will perform at the least common denominator though.

 

[FOBSIDE]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Yep, not for a boot device. It will perform at the least common denominator though.

I'm sorry. That didn't make sense to me. Could you explain what you meant by least common denominator?

 

[bsobel]

A couple apps to check out:

Symantec LiveState (v2i protector) server edition
Veritas BackupExec (with open file option)
Veritas Netbackup

Bill

 

[Smilin]

You run a 40mb/sec IDE controller alongside a 12mb/sec USB 1.1 external drive and you're going to get two drives that, for all practical purposes, run at 12mb/sec.

USB 2.0 obviously is fast enough in theory to not bottleneck an IDE drive but there will be overhead and you won't be running at the full speed of the drive.

In other words, it will work but it's kinda ugly.

Can't do it with boot drives tho. The USB driver isn't loaded early enough in the boot process to allow you to boot or mirror to a USB drive.

 

[gwag]

use NT backup it can backup open files via shadow copy. wont be bo0table but a quick install and restore and your back in business....
ghost is another option but you cant do it remotely and have to take it offline.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: gwag
use NT backup it can backup open files via shadow copy. wont be bo0table but a quick install and restore and your back in business....
ghost is another option but you cant do it remotely and have to take it offline.

FYI, the NT backup option (shadow copy) is true of 2003 server and forward. Win2k doesn't include the feature.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: gwag
use NT backup it can backup open files via shadow copy. wont be bo0table but a quick install and restore and your back in business....
ghost is another option but you cant do it remotely and have to take it offline.

FYI, the NT backup option (shadow copy) is true of 2003 server and forward. Win2k doesn't include the feature.

w2k can still backup open files with ntbackup provided they are part of the system state. VSS that's included in XP and 2003 can do all open files however this doesn't really mean what you think. Apps that leave files in an open write state still need specific agents to properly back them up. This is true of any backup software including ntbackup, veritas, brightstor etc. NTBackup is capable of doing exchange for instance whos files are always in use but the agent is included IN NTbackup itself when you install the exchange admin tools.

 

[bsobel]

Apps that leave files in an open write state still need specific agents to properly back them up. This is true of any backup software including ntbackup, veritas, brightstor etc. NTBackup is capable of doing exchange for instance whos files are always in use but the agent is included IN NTbackup itself when you install the exchange admin tools.

That should be apps MAY need specific agents, not will. V2i/NtBackup/VSS does a pretty good job of waiting for a stable file system to snapshot. While not foolproof, it works in the majority of cases even with writeable files open.

Bill