Re: [Networker] Windows 2008 Using NetWorker recovery

In October 2009, Microsoft released new guidance on Windows Server 2008
system recoveries via KB article kb249694. This KB article states
Microsoft will support System State Recovery to the same instance of
Windows Server 2008 but does not support System State Recovery after
Full Server restore (without BMR) to the same or different hardware or
System State Recovery after a new installation of Windows Server 2008 on
new hardware or same hardware.

As a result of Microsoft's guidance for Windows Server 2008 System State
Recoveries, EMC released EMC Technical Advisory esg109074 "NetWorker:
Support for Disaster Recovery of Windows 2008" and Technical Note
"Windows Server 2008 Offline System Recovery Using Windows Server Backup
with NetWorker 7.4 Service Pack 2 and Later"  which document a short
term solution for Windows Offline System State Recoveries. This short
term solution does leverage Windows Server Backup to stage system state
backup information for NetWorker to backup.

A couple of additional options are available now:
   - EMC HomeBase is adding support for Windows Server 2008 and Windows
Server 2008 R2 in an upcoming release. The beta for this release is
starting now, 
here is a link to sign up to participate in the beta:  
https://feedbackcentral.emc.com/callout/default.html?callid={B1C92468-7B
63-44CF-BD3C-80DD28AA6220}

  - EMC Avamar just added a Windows DR capability in the v5.0SP2 and
v5.0.105 releases that is fully compliant with the latest Microsoft
guidance for Windows Server 2008 and R2 system recoveries. This solution
has the added benefit of very fast critical volume backups with a very
high deduplication ratio.

-----Original Message-----
From: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU] On
Behalf Of Francis Swasey
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 6:27 AM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [Networker] Windows 2008 Using NetWorker recovery

On 6/2/10 9:13 AM, tcassid AT kimball DOT com wrote:
> Is there a NetWorker
> release that works with Windows 2008? Do we have to use Windows 
> serverr back-up to recover Windows 2008? Has anybody attempted
something similiar.

NetWorker 7.4.5 will work with Windows 2008 (R1).  It will *not* do DR
of Windows 2008.  EMC has stated that to perform DR of Windows 2008
systems, you have to use WSB because Microsoft has publicly stated that
overwriting the running OS is not supported (and that's the NetWorker DR
method -- install base system, restore backup over running system).

So, the direct answer is that no matter what version of NetWorker you
are running, you have to use WSB to be able to do DR.  Whether you tie
that into NetWorker or run it on the side is up to you.  EMC wants you
to tie it into NetWorker using savepnpc.

-- 
Frank Swasey                    | http://www.uvm.edu/~fcs
Sr Systems Administrator        | Always remember: You are UNIQUE,
University of Vermont           |    just like everyone else.
  "I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

To sign off this list, send email to listserv AT listserv.temple DOT edu and
type "signoff networker" in the body of the email. Please write to
networker-request AT listserv.temple DOT edu if you have any problems with this
list. You can access the archives at
http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/networker.html or via RSS at
http://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RSS&L=NETWORKER

To sign off this list, send email to listserv AT listserv.temple DOT edu and 
type "signoff networker" in the body of the email. Please write to 
networker-request AT listserv.temple DOT edu if you have any problems with this 
list. You can access the archives at 
http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/networker.html or
via RSS at http://listserv.temple.edu/cgi-bin/wa?RSS&L=NETWORKER