CHAPTER 19

BACKING UP AND RESTORING DATA

Lesson 1: Understanding How to Backup and Restore Data

The efficient recovery of lost data is the goal of all backup jobs. A backup job is a single process

of backing up data.

Windows 2000 provides the Windows 2000 Backup and Recovery Tools, which includes the Backup

Wizard, a tool that allows you to easily backup and restore data.

Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Backup

OR

Start/Run/type ntbackup

You can use backup to backup regularly or schedule unattended backups by running a batch file.

You must have the appropriate permissions to backup or restore:

• All users can backup their own files and folders. They can also backup files for which

they have the Read, Read & Execute, Modify, or Full control permissions.

• All users can restore files and folders if they have Write, Modify or FC.
• Member of the Administrators and Backup Operators group can backup and restore

all files. By default, members of these groups have the Backup File and Directories,

and the Restore Files and Directories user rights.

Planning Issues for Windows Backup

Your primary goal is to be able to restore the data if necessary. No one backup policy is correct,

you will have to customize it to fit the needs of your company.

Determine which files and folders to backup

Always backup critical files and folders that your company needs to operate, such as sales and

financial records, the registry for each server, and if you are in a domain, the directory service files

based on Active Directory technology.

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Determine How often to Backup

If data is critical, it should be backed up daily.

Determine Which Target Media to Use for Storing Backup Data:

• Files. You can store the files on a removable media device, such as an Iomega Zip

drive, or on a network location, such as a file server.

• Tape. A less expensive medium than other removable media, the tape is more

convenient for large backup jobs because of its high storage capacity.

Network or Local Backup Jobs

• Network Backup can contain data from multiple network computers. This way you

can consolidate backups. A network backup also allows one administrator to back up

the entire network.

• Local Backups are more work, you must go to each individual computer and perform

the backup there.

Examining Backup Types:

Backup Wizard provides five types of backup that define which data is backed up, such as only files

that have changed since the last backup. Some backup types use backup markers, also known as

archive attributes, which mark the file as having changed. When a file changes, an attribute is set on

the file that indicates that the file has changed since the last backup. When you back up the file, this

clears or resets the attribute.

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Normal Backup or Full Backup

All selected files and folders are backed up. A normal backup does not rely on markers to determine

which files to back up. When in process it does not look at the Archive bit, BUT it is reset at the end

of the backup. During a normal backup, any existing marks are cleared and each file is marked as

having been backed up. Normal backups speed up the restore process because the backup files are

the most current and you don’t need to restore multiple backup jobs.

Copy

During a copy backup, all selected files and folders are backup up. It neither looks for nor clears

markers.

Incremental

During an incremental backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up,

and then the backup clears markers. Because an incremental backup clears markers, if you did

two incremental backups in a row in a file and nothing changed in the file, the file would not be

backed up the second time.

Differential

During a differential backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up, but

the backup doesn’t clear markers. Because differential backup doesn’t clear markers, if you did

two differential backups in a row on a file and nothing changed in the file, the entire file would be

backed up each time.

Daily

During a daily backup, all selected files and folders that have changed during the day are backup

up. Backup Wizard neither looks for nor clears markers. If you want to back up all files and

folders that change during the day, use a daily backup.

You can turn off the Archive Bit. In Properties/Advanced Clear the Archive file check box.

Combining Backup Types:

An effective backup strategy is likely to combine different backup types. Some backup types

require more time to backup data but less time to restore data. Conversely, other backup types

require less time to back up data but more time to restore data. If you combine backup types,

markers are critical. Incremental and differential backup types check for and

rely on the markers.

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The following are some examples of combining different backup types:

Normal and differential backups. On Monday a normal backup is performed, and on Tuesday

through Friday, differential backups are performed. Differential backups don’t clear markers,

which means that each backup includes all changes since Monday. If data becomes corrupt on

Friday, you need to restore only the normal backup from Monday and the differential backup

from Thursday. This strategy takes more time to back up but less time to restore. SLOW

Backup and FAST Restore.

Normal and incremental backups. On Monday a normal backup is performed, and on Tuesday

through Friday, incremental backups are performed. Incremental backups clear markers, which

means that each backup includes only the files that changed since the previous backup. If data

becomes corrupt on Friday, you need to restore the normal backup from Monday and all

incremental backups, from Tuesday through Friday. This strategy take less time to backup

but more time to restore. FAST Backup, SLOW restore.

Normal, differential, and copy backups. This strategy is the same as the first example that

used normal and Incremental backups, except that on Wednesday, you perform a copy backup.

Copy backups include all selected files and do not clear markers or interrupt the usual backup

schedule. Therefore, each differential backup includes all changes since Monday. The copy

backup type done on Wednesday is not part of the Friday restore. Copy backups are helpful

when you need to create a snapshot of your data.

Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Backup (then the Backup Wizard comes up and

you select, Backup, Restore, or Recovery.

Lesson Summary:

• Efficient recovery of lost data is the goal of all backup jobs.
• If data loss does occur, and you have planned and performed regular backup jobs, you can

restore the lost data.

• Windows 2000 provides the Backup Wizard that allows you to easily backup and restore data.
• Backup Wizard provides five types of backup: normal, copy, differential, incremental, and daily.
• You can use a combination of the above backups, also.

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Lesson 2: Backing up Data

An important part of each backup is performing the preliminary tasks. One task that you must do

is ensure that the files that you want to backup are closed. You should notify the users you are

performing a backup.

Backup Wizard doesn’t back up files that are locked open by applications. You can use E-Mail

or the Send Console Message dialog box in the Computer Management snap-in to send

administrative messages to users.

How to send a console Message:

1. Start/Programs/Administrative tools/Computer Management.
2. Action menu, click All Tasks, Send Console Message.
3. Type in the recipients, you want to send the message.
4. Click Send to send the message.

Selecting Files and Folders to Back up:

To start the Backup Wizard, click Start/Accessories/System Tools/Backup, and the Backup

Wizard appears. Or You can use the Run command on the Start menu to run ntbackup, and then

click Backup Wizard.

Back up Everything on My Computer. The Backup Wizard excludes by default, such as certain

power management files.

Back up Selected Files, Drives, or Network Data. Backs up selected files and folders. This

includes files and folders on the computer where you run Backup Wizard and any shared file or

folder on the network.

Only Back up the System State Data. Backs up important system components, such as the

Registry and the boot files for the computer on which you are running Backup Wizard.

NOTE: When the backup process is complete, you can choose to review the backup report,

which is the backup log. A backup log is a text file that records backup operations and is stored

on the hard disk of the computer on which you are running Backup Wizard.

Specifying Advanced Backup Settings

When you specify advanced backup settings, you are changing the default backup settings for

only the current backup job.

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Depending on whether you chose to backup now or later, Backup Wizard provides you with the

opportunity to do either of the following:

• If you chose to finish the backup process, Backup Wizard displays the completing The

Backup Wizard settings and then presents the option to finish and immediately start the

backup. During the backup, the wizard displays status information about the backup job.

• If you chose to back up later, you are shown additional dialog boxes to schedule the backup

process to occur later, as described in the next section.

Scheduling Backup Jobs

Scheduling a backup job means that you can have an unattended backup job occur later when

users aren’t at work and the files are closed.

1. Click later on the When to Back Up page of Backup Wizard.
2. Task scheduler presents the Set Account Information, prompting you with the password.
3. Enter your password, and confirm it, and press OK.
4. You must provide a name for the backup job, and by default, the wizard displays the present

date and time for the start date.

5. Type the appropriate name in the Job Name box.
6. Click Set Schedule to set a different start date and time. This selection causes Task Scheduler

to display the Schedule job dialog box.

** Tried in class, as one of the labs, I think #26, it works, really slick!! **

Lesson Summary:

• One task that you must do is ensure that the files that you want to back up are closed,

because Windows Backup doesn’t backup files that are locked open by applications.

• Next you perform the backup.
• You can choose from three options, Back up everything on the computer; backup

selected files, drive or network data; or back up only the system state data.

• You must enter the target destination for the backup file to be stored.
• You can also run an unattended backup.

Lesson 3: Restoring Data

To restore data you must select the backup set, file, and folders to restore. You can also

specify additional settings based on your restore requirements. Backup provides Restore

Wizard to help you restore data, or you can restore data without using the Wizard.

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Base your restore strategy on the backup type that you used for the backup. If time is

critical when you are restoring data, your restore strategy must ensure that the backup types

that you choose for backups expedite the restore process. For example, use normal and

differential backups so that you need to restore only the last normal backup and the last

differential backup.

Perform a trial restore periodically to verify the Backup Wizard is backing up your files

correctly. A trial restore can uncover hardware problems that don’t show up with software

verifications. Restore the data to an alternate location, and then compare the restored data

to the data on the original hard disk.

Keep documentation for each backup job. Create the print a detailed backup log for each

backup job. A detailed backup log contains a record of all files and folders that were backed

up. By using the backup log, you can quickly locate which piece of media contains the files

that you need to restore without having to load the catalogs.

Keep a record of multiple backup jobs in a calendar format that shows the days on which

you perform the backup jobs.

Lesson 4: Changing Windows Default Backup Options

General Tab. These settings affect data verification, the status information for backup and

restore jobs, alert messages, and what is backed up.

Restore Tab. These settings affect the default backup type when you perform a backup job.

Backup Log Tab. The amount of information that is included in the backup log.

Exclude Files Tab. These settings affect which files are excluded from backup jobs.

You can modify some default settings in Backup Wizard for a specific Backup job. For

example, the default backup type is normal, but you can change it to another backup type

in Backup Wizard. However, the next time that you run Backup Wizard, the default backup

type (normal) is selected.

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Lesson Summary:

• There are default Windows Backup options, and you can change them.
• You can change the default settings for individual jobs.