So, you’ve protected your server with BMR using DPM and now you need to restore. What's next?
Well, I’ve been playing with the new BMR functionality on DPM 2010 for a while now and while it is very slick in how it operates, it seems like there might be some confusion on exactly how to use it. Granted, creating a BMR backup of a server is quite simple, restoring requires a little bit of extra work outside of the scope of DPM.
I’m not here to talk about what BMR is or when to use it instead of system state as that information is covered on the DPM TechNet Site. I’m more concerned with restoring a BMR backup to a new system.
Since theoretically the system in question is completely down (due to corruption of the operating system) or even new (in the case of hardware replacement), I have discovered is that the easiest way to restore these systems is by booting to the Windows media (Windows 2008 or Windows 2008 R2 DVD) and initiating the recovery.
This will break down into two steps. Step one is done on the DPM server and step two will be performed on the system where the restore will take place. It looks like a lot of steps, but really it’s quite simple so give it a shot some time! Test it out to be sure you understand before you are hit with the need for it and don’t know how to get it to work.
Step 1 – Recover contents of WindowsImageBackup folder (the easy part):
1. In the DPM administrator console, navigate to the Recovery tab and navigate through the Protected data to the computer you need to restore and find the Bare Metal Recovery option. Select the date and time and then recover this data to a network share.
2. Since we are going to be recovering to a network share (a folder on a computer that is protected by this DPM server), we will need to go to that location and create the folder where the restore will happen. Select that location and finish then restore.
Remember, this is just restoring the files to a location for use by the recovery process. This will not do any of the work to restore the files onto the actual computer, as that will be handled in step two. Also note, as pointed out before, you need to access this location when booted into the WinRE environment from the DVD. This means WinRE must have generic network access (get an IP address) and you must be able to specify valid credentials to access that share and files below it.
3. This is an IMPORTANT step here! Navigate to the location the files were restored to and navigate down the restored folders until you find a folder labeled C-volume. (It could possibly be labeled with another drive letter, but most often will be C). The important note here is that at the root of the shared folder is the WindowsImageBackup folder. If that is not at the root, then the restore will not find the backup.
This is what it will look like and where the share will be created. REC is the folder name I recovered but the giant string after that is what DPM has laid down. We just need to worry about where the WindowsImageBackup folder is and share the folder above it.
This is the share that will need to be connected to by the client using WinRE. If you feel like I may be beating this dead horse, well I am. It is vital to create the share that you will be able to get to in WinRE (IP connectivity and authentication) and that the WindowsImageBackup folder is on the root of the share. (If I could attach flashy red lights to a blog, they would be around this step).
And if you were to navigate then to the share, this is what you should see (the actual name for the share does not matter, just that WindowsImageBackup folder is at the root):
(See, this was important enough to get two screen shots explaining it!)
Step 2 – restore the files from WindowsImageBackup folder to computer (these steps are based on the premise that you can get an IP address and authenticate via WinRE in your environment)
1. Start the computer you are going to restore the image to using the Windows DVD to match the system you are restoring. If you are doing BMR for a Windows Server 2008 system, then boot to the Windows Server 2008 DVD. If you are doing BMR for a Windows Server 2008 R2 system, then boot to the Windows Server 2008 R2 DVD
NOTE: If you need to verify the number or size of disks needed to restore, look in the WindowsImageBackup folder for MBRsystemRequirements.txt file. You should see information similar to the following:
Minimum number of disks: 1
Minimum Disk Sizes: Disk 0: 64423526400 bytes (boot)
2. On the initial screen, verify language/locale settings and click Next.
3. When the Install screen comes up, select Repair your computer in the lower left of the screen (most people move past this screen quickly so it’s easy to miss).
4. You now have the System Recovery Options screen. This may list an existing OS if it finds one on the drive. We are going to be looking to do a restore, so we are not worried if there is one listed.
For Windows Server 2008, just click Next.
For Windows Server 2008 R2, be sure that you select the radio button to Restore your computer using a system image that you created earlier before selecting Next.
5. This step is ONLY ON Windows Server 2008: When prompted to choose a recovery tool, select Windows Complete PC Restore.
6. You will now likely be prompted that Windows cannot find a system image, select Cancel.
7. It will now prompt you that you need to point it to an image.
For Windows Server 2008, select Restore different backup and then Next.
For Windows Server 2008 R2, select Select a system image and then Next.
8. This will bring up a screen allowing you to find the image you are going to restore from. Since we have put this on a network share, we need to start networking. To do this, click on Advanced…
9. This brings up a screen that will allow us to search the network.
On Windows Server 2008, choose Search for a backup on the network.
On Windows Server 2008 R2, choose Search for a system image on the network.
10. When prompted if you are sure, click Yes.
11. Now enter the path to the share created in step 8 from Step 1 – Recover contents of WindowsImageBackup folder:. You can also connect using the IP address and share name. Click OK.
12. This will prompt you for credentials needed to access the share. Enter the credentials required for the share and click OK.
13. Now it will show a list of recovery images available from the share you indicated. There should only be one as you shared out only the recovery point specific for this computer. Select that recovery point from the list and click Next.
14. This will now scan the backup you selected for specific backups available in that recovery point. This again should yield just one date/time stamped recovery and list the hard drive associated with it. Select this recovery point and click Next.
15. Check the box to have it Format and repartition disks in order to have it wipe out the local disks before laying down the restore, then click Next.
16. Finally, verify the settings and click Finish to have it begin the restore process.
Bing-Bang-Boom, your system is back up and running just like it never happened. This is such a beautiful thing and as long as you are protecting Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, you can say goodbye to SRT! Sleep well tonight knowing your servers are just a quick 45 minute restore away.
Chris Butcher | Senior Support Escalation Engineer
