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Active Directory will not work after Disaster Recovery Restore Using Backup Exec 11d
I am in the process of migrating a customer's server over to new hardware. After hearing good things about Symantec Backup Exec 11d I installed a trial version, performed a full backup and created a Disaster Recovery CD. (All through wizards, no errors, pretty simple) I backed the data up onto an external USB HDD.
After a bit of trial and error on the new kit I have managed to get the backup restored using the following method
1: Run DR CD and restore backup. ( I had to install LAN drivers for the new mobo and a couple of Hotfixes 925902 & 930178 )
2: Restart Server and boot to Recovery Console. Remove Hotfix 931784 - This was causing the server to hang. I found this through a LOT of trial and error.
3: Server restarts and boots to the DR O/S one last time for about a minute to finish off and restarts into Windows.
4: Reactivate Windows due to hardware changing
5: Install drivers for new motherboard (I did have to re-install the LAN drivers which I did before ?)
6: I reinstalled KB 931784.
Now the problem I have is with AD. If I go into the server management console there are no users, computers, servers or printers listed. If I open the AD users and computers utility in Administrative Tools I get a pop-up saying "Naming information cannot be located because: The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted. Contact your system administrator to verify that your domain is properly configured and is currently online"
If I run DCPROMO the server identifies itself as a DC and a Global Catalog server.
Do I have to do a further restore through Active Directory Restore mode , or some fiddling about with NTDSUTIL ? AlI the DNS settings seem OK. I have configured a router and the new server IP to be the same as on the old server.
I would contact Symantec Support but as its not a full product they want to charge me.
After a bit of trial and error on the new kit I have managed to get the backup restored using the following method
1: Run DR CD and restore backup. ( I had to install LAN drivers for the new mobo and a couple of Hotfixes 925902 & 930178 )
2: Restart Server and boot to Recovery Console. Remove Hotfix 931784 - This was causing the server to hang. I found this through a LOT of trial and error.
3: Server restarts and boots to the DR O/S one last time for about a minute to finish off and restarts into Windows.
4: Reactivate Windows due to hardware changing
5: Install drivers for new motherboard (I did have to re-install the LAN drivers which I did before ?)
6: I reinstalled KB 931784.
Now the problem I have is with AD. If I go into the server management console there are no users, computers, servers or printers listed. If I open the AD users and computers utility in Administrative Tools I get a pop-up saying "Naming information cannot be located because: The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted. Contact your system administrator to verify that your domain is properly configured and is currently online"
If I run DCPROMO the server identifies itself as a DC and a Global Catalog server.
Do I have to do a further restore through Active Directory Restore mode , or some fiddling about with NTDSUTIL ? AlI the DNS settings seem OK. I have configured a router and the new server IP to be the same as on the old server.
I would contact Symantec Support but as its not a full product they want to charge me.
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Techsoeasy - We are using backup exec 11d, which I was told by a symantec rep at a sales event will do a bare metal restore to different hardware. The system state was set to backup
Backup Exec 11d alone will not support bare metal restore to dissimilar hardware. As I stated above, you need to be using their LiveState Recovery component... which is now called System Recovery. (http://www.symantec.com/business/products/overview.jsp?pcid=2244&pvid=1603_1)
If you have that component and had deployed it correctly then you will be able to accomplish this. Otherwise you cannot.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
If you have that component and had deployed it correctly then you will be able to accomplish this. Otherwise you cannot.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
TechSoEasy is almost right, in that doing a bare metal restore to dissimilar hardware is certainly not easy or directly supported in BE 11d, in the same way that it is not directly supported by Windows itself. However, it is possible. I have done it myself, and the complexity is down to how dissimilar the hardware is. Some configurations will be nearly impossible, others less so. It also depends on what other tools you have available. Also, a change of HAL (the hardware abstraction layer) is extremely difficult to overcome.
The following article, although targeted at Active Directory restores, is applicable: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/263532, and you need to follow a similar restore method using BE 11d.
If you are intending to do a dissimilar equipment restore then you should test, test, test in advance. We used this procedure to test DR processes for a secondary DC to dissimilar, basic hardware, but doing it to enterprise-class hardware would present additional issues as the necessary drivers need to be available.
It is generally possible, but recommended only as an interim solution while an appropriate replacement server can be constructed.
The following article, although targeted at Active Directory restores, is applicable: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/263532, and you need to follow a similar restore method using BE 11d.
If you are intending to do a dissimilar equipment restore then you should test, test, test in advance. We used this procedure to test DR processes for a secondary DC to dissimilar, basic hardware, but doing it to enterprise-class hardware would present additional issues as the necessary drivers need to be available.
It is generally possible, but recommended only as an interim solution while an appropriate replacement server can be constructed.
Yeah... sorry, I shouldn't have been so matter-of-fact about not being able to do it otherwise.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Keep smiling, TechSoEasy :) You have to be slightly insane (or have no other options) to try a dissimilar recovery without just spending on the product options. The risks are high.
Well, that's true with Symantec. With Acronis True Image it's a bit easier... if you know what you're doing you can restore to new hardware without their Universal Restore, but major emphasis on "if you know what you're doing". Otherwise, the $199.00 option is well worth it.
Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff
TechSoEasy
1) Does the Netlogon service start
2) Does the event viewer show any problems
3) Do the correct entries exist in DNS
4) Do NETDIAG and DCDIAG show any errors (both support tools downloadable from Microsoft directly) -- See http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=23870A87-8422-408C-9375-2D9AAF939FA3&displaylang=en for DCDIAG