The DISASTER_RECOVERY saveset is taken for a Windows client or a Windows Server 
to enable bare metal recovery. The 'critical volumes' that it backs up are 
determined by Windows and include any volumes which have system or boot files 
on them. In the NetWorker 8.0 release, the 'double backup' of user data on 
these critical volumes was eliminated, so migrating to NetWorker 8 (at lease 
the Windows Client) will have a benefit for you.

There are some significant enhancements in this area coming in the NetWorker 
8.1 release which will reduce the size and time needed for these backups.


-----Original Message-----
From: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU] On 
Behalf Of Chase Lab
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 10:21 PM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: [Networker] Windows backups.

I am looking at upgrading to NW 8.* and was hoping there might have been some 
advancements to the Windows backups.  Reading the documents, it seems to have 
gotten even more convoluted.  There is a BMR option now with the 
DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ save set but there are caveats.  There are a lot of "be 
careful" - if that, then this or mixing this with that and so on.  The 
DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ save set has it's own caveat of a huge double backup when 
doing a full backup if critical data is deemed to be on a volume.  You can turn 
off the DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ save set but than you are back to the 10 to 14 GB 
full backups per night of the VSS SYSTEM STATE stuff.  I backup upwards of 300 
Windows clients and this adds up in a hurry.  I am interested in how others are 
handling this issue?  I know deduplication is an option but it is an expensive 
solution and adds another layer of complexity.  Are there other backup 
software/solutions other than NetWorker available?  I assume all the other b!
 ackup software has the same problems because as far as I can tell this is a 
Microsoft "enhancement".  Although, this would be nice to confirm?

Cheers,
Chase