Has anyone restored an entire server using TBMR then TDP?

[bgseib]

The reason I ask is that I am restoring from prod to test as a DR test, and I have restore the OS and SQL shell from TBMR, then I am trying to resore the databases (SQL 08) with TDP. The catch I am running into is that the TDP will not run without SQL running on the server, but the SQL server will not start up without the 'master' database existing, so I can not do either because each one relies on the other to be done first.

So I am looking for either what I am doing wrong, or if anyone has brought a server up from DR with TBMR then restoring the databases - what are the steps?

I know I could use TBMR, then install SQL on the box, then restore with TDP, but there must be a better way with all these tools.?

Thanks in advance..
Brian

 

[moon-buddy]

Catch 22 - the chicken or the egg?

Restore Using TBMR. If the WHOLE system was imaged off TBMR, SQL should be there (CAVEAT: for a good Image backup using TBMR, the SQL DB must be down when the image was taken). bring up SQL and restore using TDP.

If the SQL was not part of the image, install it and restore data using TDP (after installing the BA client and TDP, if this was not part of the image).

 

[bgseib]

moon-buddy, I appreciate your help. So I guess what I am trying to ask is if we have all 3 tools being used (TBMR, BA Client, and TDP), with good 'live' backups being taken (weekly hot tbmr, nightly ba client, and nightly tdp) is there a way of bringing up the systems without having to install anything like sql? The purpose of what I am trying to do is document the full steps of bringing some of our highly used (no possible downtime for cold backups) system up from a DR situation. It was the understanding of everyone that since we are using tbmr is should restore the base OS and anything installed (SQL), and then we would use BA Client to restore any files, and use TDP to restore any databases to that last good backup (and some would be with TDP logs to a certain time), without having to fumble around and find software to install anything on the server that was not in the backup sets.
From my testing and what you have said I am pretty sure my initial thought is correct that this is not possible due to the catch 22 part of this situation. I would have to install SQL once the TBMR is restored then restore files with BA, then restore the databases with TDP, but there is not a way of getting around installing SQL UNLESS the TBMR is done when SQL is down (cold backup), which is not an option for us.

I appreciate your help.
Brian

 

[moon-buddy]

moon-buddy, I appreciate your help. So I guess what I am trying to ask is if we have all 3 tools being used (TBMR, BA Client, and TDP), with good 'live' backups being taken (weekly hot tbmr, nightly ba client, and nightly tdp) is there a way of bringing up the systems without having to install anything like sql? The purpose of what I am trying to do is document the full steps of bringing some of our highly used (no possible downtime for cold backups) system up from a DR situation. It was the understanding of everyone that since we are using tbmr is should restore the base OS and anything installed (SQL), and then we would use BA Client to restore any files, and use TDP to restore any databases to that last good backup (and some would be with TDP logs to a certain time), without having to fumble around and find software to install anything on the server that was not in the backup sets.
From my testing and what you have said I am pretty sure my initial thought is correct that this is not possible due to the catch 22 part of this situation. I would have to install SQL once the TBMR is restored then restore files with BA, then restore the databases with TDP, but there is not a way of getting around installing SQL UNLESS the TBMR is done when SQL is down (cold backup), which is not an option for us.

I appreciate your help.
Brian

Yes, you can use all three backups for a good restore. The procedure for restore would be: 1) TBMR, 2) BA restores for system (to bring to latest state after backup with TBMR), then 3) TDP restore of the database.

 

[bgseib]

That is where I am having the problem - I am trying the 3 step process, but the 3rd step will not work because SQL will not startup without a 'master.mbd' database file. I cannot restore the master database using TDP, becuase it will not startup without SQL running. Back to the catch 22 part. So is the only way of doing this is the 3 step process with a SQL install between step 2 and 3 making it a 4 step process?
I appreciate your time.

 

[moon-buddy]

Looks like it would be a 4 step process for you unless you can do an offline TBMR backup of the system to get the full image backup.