Disaster/recovery techniques

I have recently installed SQL Server 2000 on a newly acquired Windows
2003 server. The network admins also got Brightstor Agent for SQL
Server to interface with Brightstor ARCserve Backup for Windows
running on our backup server. I think I have a pretty good handle on
how to setup the SQL Server backups using a combination of
full/differential/transaction log backups to handle any recovery
required for the SQL Server databases.
What are the alternatives for backing up the Server itself for use in
recovery? Two approaches come to mind.
The first is not worry about backing up the server, in which case for
a recovery, I would have to reinstall all the software and service
packs to rebuild the environment. This would certainly require that I
have fully documented what applications (Windows 2003 server, SQL
Server, Outlook, Brightstor Agent, etc) and the install options that
were chosen. The rebuild process for this could take some time, and
there may be some issues that I haven't considered.
The second is to fully backup the server including the registry. If
everything were installed to the "C:\" drive, I could maybe get by
with just backing up the "C:\" drive and the registry. I do have a
weekend window where I could down the server to perform this task on a
weekly basis. Then for recovery I could just install an operating
system, restore from the backup of the "C:\" drive and registry and
proceed to my SQL Server recovery. Are there any problems with this
approach?
Finally, are there other techniques that I should consider? Any
websites or newsgroup threads on this topic would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks Much, Lane LesperanceI prefere the first approach. it's the databases you should back up, not the
server.
Part of a good recovery plan is to document everything, so you can put the
server back to its original configuration before applying your backup files.
you can use the 2nd one, but to me it will take longer, and you need to
really test it on a test box to make sure you can recover your data that
way.
Steve Lin
MCDBA
"Lane Lesperance" <llesperance@.cooperpower.com> wrote in message
news:66feb5c.0404051118.e0472bf@.posting.google.com...
> I have recently installed SQL Server 2000 on a newly acquired Windows
> 2003 server. The network admins also got Brightstor Agent for SQL
> Server to interface with Brightstor ARCserve Backup for Windows
> running on our backup server. I think I have a pretty good handle on
> how to setup the SQL Server backups using a combination of
> full/differential/transaction log backups to handle any recovery
> required for the SQL Server databases.
> What are the alternatives for backing up the Server itself for use in
> recovery? Two approaches come to mind.
> The first is not worry about backing up the server, in which case for
> a recovery, I would have to reinstall all the software and service
> packs to rebuild the environment. This would certainly require that I
> have fully documented what applications (Windows 2003 server, SQL
> Server, Outlook, Brightstor Agent, etc) and the install options that
> were chosen. The rebuild process for this could take some time, and
> there may be some issues that I haven't considered.
> The second is to fully backup the server including the registry. If
> everything were installed to the "C:\" drive, I could maybe get by
> with just backing up the "C:\" drive and the registry. I do have a
> weekend window where I could down the server to perform this task on a
> weekly basis. Then for recovery I could just install an operating
> system, restore from the backup of the "C:\" drive and registry and
> proceed to my SQL Server recovery. Are there any problems with this
> approach?
> Finally, are there other techniques that I should consider? Any
> websites or newsgroup threads on this topic would be greatly
> appreciated.
> Thanks Much, Lane Lesperance