Windows backup not using 2nd destination disk
Hi,
I have quite fresh Windows Server 2012R2 setup as the only DC in domain, having some shares and that's more or less all about server roles. As it has 3 RAID arrays (RAID1, RAID 10 and RAID 5) the latest (RAID5) is used as LOCAL BACKUP destination (built-in Windows backup is used). Backup is running fine, no problems.
Additionally we bought QNAP NAS and configured it as iSCSI target to serve as secondary backup destination.
But Windows Server simply IGNORES that 2nd backup destionation on iSCSI Target. No errors, no event logs...nothing....it just does not use it. Showing each backup success, but iSCSI location is empty, zero backups, nothing there.
...while primary location on local RAID5 array backups just fine.
What I have tried:
- reformated QNAP NAS to factory defaults and setup iSCSI Target fresh
- used it as no-drive-letter and as drive-letter volume
- used it as external disk and as volume
- cleared backup schedule and recreated it fresh
But nothing helped - iSCSI target destination is writeable, visible, but simply ingnored as 2nd backup destination.
Any idea?
I have quite fresh Windows Server 2012R2 setup as the only DC in domain, having some shares and that's more or less all about server roles. As it has 3 RAID arrays (RAID1, RAID 10 and RAID 5) the latest (RAID5) is used as LOCAL BACKUP destination (built-in Windows backup is used). Backup is running fine, no problems.
Additionally we bought QNAP NAS and configured it as iSCSI target to serve as secondary backup destination.
But Windows Server simply IGNORES that 2nd backup destionation on iSCSI Target. No errors, no event logs...nothing....it just does not use it. Showing each backup success, but iSCSI location is empty, zero backups, nothing there.
...while primary location on local RAID5 array backups just fine.
What I have tried:
- reformated QNAP NAS to factory defaults and setup iSCSI Target fresh
- used it as no-drive-letter and as drive-letter volume
- used it as external disk and as volume
- cleared backup schedule and recreated it fresh
But nothing helped - iSCSI target destination is writeable, visible, but simply ingnored as 2nd backup destination.
Any idea?
Do more with
EXPERT OFFICE® is a registered trademark of EXPERTS EXCHANGE®
Windows backup always uses the first device of a set for a backup job. It will only use the second device if the first is unavailable. So you have to manually create another job (can't do this through the GUI) or you need a 3rd party backup program. Windows Server Backup is intentionally bare-bones and was really designed for rotating external media. Microsoft's full featured backup solution is System Center and very much not free.
Hmmm....sounds logical.
But might it be, that one of previous versions of Windows Server Backup actually did backup on 2 different destinations? I am almost sure we have had Server 2008 setup that way and both destinations contained fresh backups.
But might it be, that one of previous versions of Windows Server Backup actually did backup on 2 different destinations? I am almost sure we have had Server 2008 setup that way and both destinations contained fresh backups.
It'll back up to many destinations. But always the first *available* destination. Again, this allows a person to unplug a drive and take it offsite, and just plug in another drive already defined. Both drives would have "fresh" backups, but the second drive is only being used because the first was unplugged and rotated out. It is efficient, but not very configurable. Which is intentional.
Finally I found official note on the subject. MS actually does not clarify how multiple destinations for backup behave, but instead they added a small, one-sentence "stupid" not on what you can do to force backup to particular disk - pull out the other disks. See the last sentence in this Technet article:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732939.aspx
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732939.aspx
Premium Content
You need an Expert Office subscription to comment.Start Free Trial