Windows System State Backups on Avamar 5.x

For 2003 you need to check the Backup System State box.  This tells the system to use NT Backup to create a SystemState.bkf file.  This is stored under \avs\var on the client.

For 2008 you use the VSS plugin to back up the system state.

I am still researching what the new 5.0 System State plugin is.  I have been unable to find any additional documentation on this yet.

Dave

Another question on this subject -

On my Options screen for my Dataset (Avamar 5.0), I have 2 options for the system state - one is a checkbox named "Backup Windows System State", and the other is a setting named "Backup the system profile", with a (Disabled/Enabled) drop-down selection.

In order to completely back up the system state, do I need to check and/or enable BOTH settings??

Thanks all!

The Backup System Profile option is used when EMC's Homebase product is integrated with Avamar for bare metal recovery.  If you don't have Homebase you do not need to enable this.  If you do enable it when you back up a 2003 server the job will complete with exceptions since the Homebase agent is not installed.

Avamar 5.0 comes with homebase client pre-installed, when we check the option "Backup System Profile" it creates the file HBE_Profile.zip in the c:\program files\avs\var directory which can be used later for performing Bare Metal Recovery.

With Avamar 5.0 you can perform "Bare Metal Recovery" but its not 1 touch recovery, its manually recovery.

You need to install OS on new Hardware,patch it to same Service Pack Level, install Avamar Client and then perfrom recovery.

All the steps are mentioned in the Avamar System Administration Guide for Avamar 5.0

http://powerlink.emc.com/km/live1/en_US/Offering_Technical/Technical_Documentation/300-008-814.pdf

Regards

Amol Powar

Limbaugh,

We cannot backup the system state using the "Backup Windows system state" checkbox for Windows 2008 or Windows 7. In earlier version of windows Avamar use to call NTbackup for performing system state backup, with windows 2008 it calls VSS Plugin for backing up system state. In case if you have that option selected in you dataset you will get a WARN Message.

Regards

Amol Powar

I am running 5.0, that was installed a week ago. I don't think HomeBase installed.  When I go into the dataset and select "Windows File System" under Dataset --> Options, I see an option to enabled Backup Window System state and then a drop down box that enables/disables "Backup the System Profile".

For Windows 2003 systems, if I backup just the system state, I don't get any exceptions. I see a backup file in the avs directory called SystemState.bkf.

If I select the option to backup system profile, I get a "Completed with Exceptions". When i look in the log, it complains about HomeBase not being installed.

If the system state is being backed up using NTBackup, then the restore section of the admin guide is wrong. The System Administration Guide for 5.0 (

P/N 300-008-814) says to restore the system state and the configuration, it asks to restore a file called "C:\Program Files\avs\var\HBE_profile.zip" This file does not exist in my avs/var folder.

Also, what is the  file AvamarBackupSystemState-windows-x86-5.0.100-409.msi for if System State is backed up using NTBackup?

If you are backing up system state by "Backup Window System state"which creates the file systemstate.bkf you can restore the system back on the same hardware.

In case you need to restore the system state to a different hardware you need to use the second option "Backup the System Profile" which can only be achived after installing AvamarBackupSystemState-windows-x86-5.0.100-409.msi

Regards

Amol Powar

Hello,

I've found this thread as I am also confused on what's need for System State backups so let me see if I understand after reading this thread.

For Windows 2003 system state backup:

1) Select the "Backup Windows System State" checkbox under Windows File Systems option.

2) Leave "Backup the System Profile" as disable.

For Windows 2003 full system recovery:

1) Install same OS and bring up to same SP level.

2) Install Avamar client.

3) Perform full Avamar restore.

4) After Avamar restore, restore the System State (.bkf) via Windows Backup? or does Avamar handles that as part of the Avamar restore?

For Windows 2008 system state backup:

1) Uncheck the "Backup Windows System State" checkbox under Windows File Systems option.

2) Leave "Backup the System Profile" as disable.

3) Install the "AvamarBackupSystemState-windows-x86" plugin.

For Windows 2008 full system recovery:

1) Install same OS and bring up to same SP level.

2) Install Avamar client.

3) Install Avamar "AvamarBackupSystemState" plugin.

4) Perform full Avamar restore.

5) After Avamar restore, restore the System State via Windows Backup? or does Avamar handles that as part of the Avamar restore?

I'm still fuzzy on how the backup the system profile "HBE_profile.zip" file helps to restore to different hardware when you don't have the Homebase product.  Is this a added bonus of Avamar 5 or do you still need to buy the Homebase product to use that "HBE_profile.zip" file.

It also looks like I need to create 2 separate datasets one for 2003 and another for 2008 in order to avoid the warning messages.

Also can someone what is the "Windows VSS" plugin under the Options tab and how is that different that with above or is that also need to be used in conjuntion with everything else?

Avamar is a great product but it is confusing as hell and needs a lot more configuring and setup than Symantec Backup Exec.

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

See this doc:

https://powerlink.emc.com/nsepn/webapps/btg548664833igtcuup4826/km/live1//en_US/Offering_Technical/Technical_Documentation/300-010-672.pdf

It will help you.

Regards,

Hormigo

FL,

Hormigos post points you to the proper documentation. I had to read it a few times to make sure I fully understood it. So from my reading here is what I have found:

Server 2003 bare metal restore:

Requires the BackupSystemState plugin

  Configuration:

Configure your Dataset options and make sure the following are checked:

          Backup Windows System State

          Backup the system profile enabled

Verify:

     After a full backup, go into Backup and Restore and browse to your Program Files/avs/var/ folder and make sure you see these two files:

          HBE_profile.zip

          HBE_profile_path

Server 2008 (all versions):

     Requires you to have the Windows VSS plugin installed on your Dataset. Under the Options ->Windows VSS, make sure you have the following selected:

          Create Disaster Recovery Backup

          Backup type Full backup

     Verify:

          After a full backup, go into Backup and Restore, select the Windows VSS backup and verify that there is systemstate data.

Hope this helps!

Hi, can anyone tell me if or why the  avs/SystemState.bkf file does not get deleted/removed after the backup? Admins here are complaining and want to to delete it daily, but i'm not sure if that is "OK" ... thanks

Jamie

There is no process to remove that file with the Avamar agent.

New SytemState.bkf file always replace the previos one.

You can create script that delete SystemState.bkf file after successful backup and

use that script as a post-script.

1.) Create script

2.) Copy script in C:\Program Files\avs\etc\scripts folder on the client

3.) You need to define that script in dataset (more options>run user-defined script at end of backup)

BR

Matej