Backup with Server 2012 r2 Essentials

[rluzio]

I am planning to use the built in backup for Server Essentials. I understand that I cannot select the drivepool drive for backups and I must use the actual physical drives. My issue is that I have some of my folders selected for 2x or 3x duplication across 4 3tb drives. If I select the physical drives then I am copying the data 2 or 3 times to 1 backup drive (hope that makes sense?) Is there a way to make sure that all of the data is located on one of the four drives and is then duplicated? This way I can select that 1 drive for backup on server essentials, instead of selecting all of them. I need to do this so I have a drive to take offsite In case of a disaster.

 

 

[Umfriend]

There are file placement rules you can implement but I know nothing about those. Drashna will tell, I'm sure. Just be aware that you *might* have to monitor the usage of the, say, "primary" HDD because when that one fills up, x2 duplicated files may still end up, I believe, on HDD2 and HDD3. Also, AFAICS, you could only take either the "primary" HDD offsite (and not have backups until it is back) or all other 3 HDDs (because only then are you sure you have a full set of files).

 

Alternatively, if you can live with just x2 duplication, you could create 2 Pools of 2 x 3TB HDDs and just backup one HDD of each Pool. That is what I would do. You can always take 1 or 2 HDDs offsite (1 from each Pool).

[rluzio]

I am considering using Goodsync and just sync the drivepool drive to a external hard drive. Just not sure that will work either?

[Umfriend]

I would not know. My guess is, however, that it will work. I assume Goodsync is a file-based solution that will try to read from NTFS volumes and, AFAIK, DrivePool pools present themselves as just that.

 

You might want to backup the OS-drive using the built in Server Backup anyway. Just soooo much easier to rebuild that way in case of an OS-drive failure or update screwup etc.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Unfortuantely, because Windows Server Backup is a block based solution that is not deduplicated, this makes it very difficult to back up the pool. Especially as we don't support VSS. 

 

As for GoodSync, that is a file based solution, so it should work without any issues.

Additionally, programs like Allways Sync (which Alex, the developer uses, IIRC), Free File Sync, or even SyncToy and Robocopy are good file based solutions that may work very well.

 

Additionally, you could use a set of disks, and pool them for the backup destination, in conjunction with the file based solutions.

 

 

 

I would not know. My guess is, however, that it will work. I assume Goodsync is a file-based solution that will try to read from NTFS volumes and, AFAIK, DrivePool pools present themselves as just that.

 

You might want to backup the OS-drive using the built in Server Backup anyway. Just soooo much easier to rebuild that way in case of an OS-drive failure or update screwup etc.

This.

The server backup and bare metal restore has saved me more times than i can count. It's very good (if slow) about restoring, and depending on the size of the backup disk and the size of the disks being backed up, it can store a good range of backups, as well.

 

Additioanly, if you're using Essentials (and the topic header indicates you are), and you're client computers are connected to the domain, then this is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and even CRUCIAL. Why? because if you reinstall the server, you LOSE all the domain accounts and all the settings in them. A backup lets you restore without this issue.