Restore Data - Microsoft Data Protection Manager - Full System Restore

Topics | Full System Restore | Related Topics

Components to be Restored
General Situations and Processes

Overview

A full system restore differs from a normal restore based on the severity of the problem. Most times, when data is lost or removed, it is recovered from the backup media through normal restore procedures. But when a normal restore operation cannot correct a software problem, some level of full system restore is required.

The Microsoft Data Protection Manager (DPM) iDataAgent works in conjunction with the Windows File System iDataAgent. In addition, the SQL iDataAgent is typically used to back up the database that contains the DPM metadata. Because of these agent, operating system, and database interrelationships, a full system restore for DPM can involve several components and processes.

Components to be Restored

In addition to restoration of DPM data and/or metadata, a full system restore of DPM may include restoration of any or all of the following components:

Microsoft Data Protection Manager iDataAgent
Microsoft Data Protection Manager Server
Windows File System iDataAgent
SQL Server iDataAgent (if used to back up the DPM Metadata)
Client and/or Server Operating System

General Situations and Processes

The following chart outlines three main situations and the required recovery processes.

Situation	Process
Only DPM metadata is lost	Loss of DPM metadata requires a restore of the SQL database that contains the DPM metadata. Use just steps 2 and 5 in the section Perform a DPM Server Restore.
DPM server is corrupt	If the DPM application becomes corrupt, then you may have to restore the DPM server. Refer to Perform a DPM Server Restore on this page.
Hardware failure or operating system is corrupt	This scenario requires you to check the hardware and rebuild the operating system before attending to the iDataAgents and the data that is involved. See Perform a Full System Restore on this page.

Full System Restore Considerations

Make sure that you have backups of DPM, Windows File System, SQL iDataAgent, and System State data.
Use the same disk size, partitions, and number of disks that you used before the failure.

Perform a DPM Server Restore

To restore the DPM Server:

Uninstall and then reinstall the DPM application.
Restore the SQL database that contains the DPM metadata. (If necessary, refer to Restore Data - Microsoft SQL Server and/or Restore Data - Microsoft SQL Server - Full System Restore.)

NOTES
- If the SQL instance on the DPM server is in such a state that the SQL iDataAgent will not attempt to install, you may override the installer prerequisite checks by using the GalaxyInstallerFlags registry key. This may allow the recovery process to progress further.
Configure the disks on the DPM server. (Refer to the Microsoft Data Protection Manager product documentation.)

NOTES
- Do not synchronize data until after the next step. During configuration, select the option for manually copying the data.
Restore the DPM data in-place.
Synchronize the DPM server with the DPM client(s). (Refer to the Microsoft Data Protection Manager product documentation for information on synchronization.)

Perform a Full System Restore

A full system restore is the process of restoring all files (including DPM data, the operating system, applications, and agents) and the DPM metadata database on a client computer after a catastrophic event.

Before You Begin

If necessary, rebuild the hardware as it existed before.
Install the same Windows operating system with the same patches that were previously installed. See Rebuild the Operating System on the Full System Restore page for Windows File System.
Configure the system with the same networking parameters and passwords that were previously set.
If you are not using DNS, set up peer-to-peer communication with the CommServe. Edit the host file to include the CommServe name.

To perform a full system restore of Microsoft Data Protection Manager:

After rebuilding the operating system, restore the Windows File System iDataAgent software. See Restore the Windows File System iDataAgent. This step may bring back the SQL and DPM iDataAgents; if not, install them as well.
Restore the SQL database for the DPM application using the SQL iDataAgent. Refer to Restore Data - Microsoft SQL Server - Full System Restore for more information.
NOTES
- If the SQL instance on the DPM server is in such a state that the SQL iDataAgent will not attempt to install, you may override the installer prerequisite checks by using the GalaxyInstallerFlags registry key. This may allow the recovery process to progress further.
Configure the DPM disks. (Refer to the Microsoft Data Protection Manager product documentation.)
NOTES

Do not synchronize data until after the next step. During configuration, select the option for manually copying the data.
Restore the DPM data in place.
Synchronize the DPM server with the DPM client(s). (Refer to the Microsoft Data Protection Manager product documentation for information on synchronization.)

Post Restore Considerations

In addition to synchronizing the DPM server with the DPM client(s) after data restoration, perform a full backup of the following components to ensure the existence of a current backup:

DPM server
Windows file system and system state data
SQL iDataAgent database that contains the DPM metadata