Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-12 Thread Consiglio, Tony

Given the Examples of backup reasons below:  Has any one every had a AD
corruption that that used TSM to recover from after the GC's have already
replicated that corrupted data out?

If so, did TSM support stand by them all the way until the issue was
resolved??

We are sort of leery about using TSM so the simple reason that they always
say  We do not support BMR and on a DC with AD this is critical.

Any help would be great


1.) Botched Schema update
 2.) Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
 3.) Database corruption  (AD Corruption)
 4.) System State.
 5.) Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
 6.) Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

*** Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore
or a complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated
immediately.



-Original Message-
From: Jon Adams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 1:09 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?


Thank you Jim.  I will add this to the followong reasons I just learned a
few moments ago:

Botched Schema update
Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
Database corruption
System State
Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore or a complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated immediately.


...and as you mentioned Jim, time to synch. verses restore.

-Original Message-
From: Jim Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 5:57 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?


Jon,

I'm sure there are a number of pros and cons and I'll let others chime in
... one advantage of having a backup of the Active Directory on a given DC
is time to recovery. While you can bring an active directory back by
simply installing it and letting it synchronize to catch-up to the rest
of the organization, this synchronization can take quite a long time
depending on the size of the directory.  In this case, a backup product
can give you a point-in-time copy of the active directory such that the
synchronization process only has to catch-up from a time in the recent
past.  The time to restore from a tape can be much quicker then doing a
synchronization from ground-zero.

- Jim

J.P. (Jim) Smith
TSM Client Development


Here's an interesting question:  why would you want to backup a DC,
especially where you have a DC (W2K) or two in every remote site of the
WAN?
Why/what would you ever restore that you wouldn't get from the other
domain
controllers if one or even a few are down?

I ask this because my theory is when in doubt, backup it up.  At a
couple
hundred dollars a license it seems a reasonable assurance policy
(depending
on the budget, of course).  Another theory applies here as well, backup
everything, exclude only as needed, even if that client options set gets
pretty big.


Jon R. Adams
IT IPS BST Infrastructure
Premera Blue Cross
Mountlake Terrace, WA
425-670-5770
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-12 Thread Jim Smith

Tony,

Some clarification: the restore of the Active Directory has two distinct
pieces.  The backup product puts the files (db, logs, etc.) back into the
proper location and then the system, upon reboot, replays the logs and
synchronizes the AD with the organization.  This synchronization is by
default non-authoritative, i.e., what is restored gets synchronized by
catching-up to the rest of the organization.

Some of the cases that you list imply an authoritative restore, i.e.,
the rest of the organization needs to synch-up to what has been restored.
Microsoft does not give backup vendors the ability to mark the AD restore
as authoritative.  To do this, you will need to use the tool
ntdsutil.exe which is shipped with Windows 2000 servers.  This allows
you to mark an object, container, section or entire AD as authoritative.

Generally, the procedure is:

1. restore the system following the procedures in the Redbook (see my
previous post)
2. reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode
3. use ntdsutil.exe to mark the restore as authoritative
4. reboot again.

Since ntdsutil.exe is Microsoft's tool, you might need to have MS support
stand by TSM support until any issues are resolved.

Thanks,
Jim Smith
TSM b-a client development

Given the Examples of backup reasons below:  Has any one every had a AD
corruption that that used TSM to recover from after the GC's have already
replicated that corrupted data out?

If so, did TSM support stand by them all the way until the issue was
resolved??

We are sort of leery about using TSM so the simple reason that they always
say  We do not support BMR and on a DC with AD this is critical.

Any help would be great


1.) Botched Schema update
2.) Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
3.) Database corruption  (AD Corruption)
4.) System State.
5.) Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
6.) Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

*** Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore
or a complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated
immediately.



-Original Message-
From: Jon Adams [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 1:09 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?


Thank you Jim.  I will add this to the followong reasons I just learned a
few moments ago:

Botched Schema update
Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
Database corruption
System State
Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore or a
complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated
immediately.


...and as you mentioned Jim, time to synch. verses restore.

-Original Message-
From: Jim Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 5:57 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?


Jon,

I'm sure there are a number of pros and cons and I'll let others chime in
... one advantage of having a backup of the Active Directory on a given DC
is time to recovery. While you can bring an active directory back by
simply installing it and letting it synchronize to catch-up to the rest
of the organization, this synchronization can take quite a long time
depending on the size of the directory.  In this case, a backup product
can give you a point-in-time copy of the active directory such that the
synchronization process only has to catch-up from a time in the recent
past.  The time to restore from a tape can be much quicker then doing a
synchronization from ground-zero.

- Jim

J.P. (Jim) Smith
TSM Client Development


Here's an interesting question:  why would you want to backup a DC,
especially where you have a DC (W2K) or two in every remote site of the
WAN?
Why/what would you ever restore that you wouldn't get from the other
domain
controllers if one or even a few are down?

I ask this because my theory is when in doubt, backup it up.  At a
couple
hundred dollars a license it seems a reasonable assurance policy
(depending
on the budget, of course).  Another theory applies here as well, backup
everything, exclude only as needed, even if that client options set gets
pretty big.


Jon R. Adams
IT IPS BST Infrastructure
Premera Blue Cross
Mountlake Terrace, WA
425-670-5770
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-12 Thread Rushforth, Tim

First off, most people (when dealing with TSM) define a Bare Metal Restore
as starting off with a clean h/w system (no data, os), then install OS,
install TSM client, restore your data.

The issues listed below may not require a BMR.

1. Botched Schema update - MS says you cannot authoritatively restore the
schema so don't expect TSM to help you.
2. Accidental deletion of OU - just use directory service restore mode -
don't need BMR.
3. Database corruption - if you can still boot into ds restore mode (which
doesn't use AD) you can use this to restore AD.
4. System state - no requirement for BMR.
5. Accidental deletion of DNS zone, if AD integrated I believe this is
similar to 2. If not integrated you simply restore your DNS zone file.
6. File print servers etc no issue here - as long as your server and tsm is
operational you can restore.

I really wish TSM would support a true bare metal restore function - boot
from floppy restore system (they say buy TKG's product).

I'm pretty sure Tivoli will support any of the issues above with TSM (except
the schema!).

You really have to test these out and understand all the issues.

Tim Rushforth
City of Winnipeg

-Original Message-
From: Consiglio, Tony [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: July 12, 2002 11:37 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

Given the Examples of backup reasons below:  Has any one every had a AD
corruption that that used TSM to recover from after the GC's have already
replicated that corrupted data out?

If so, did TSM support stand by them all the way until the issue was
resolved??

We are sort of leery about using TSM so the simple reason that they always
say  We do not support BMR and on a DC with AD this is critical.

Any help would be great


1.) Botched Schema update
 2.) Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
 3.) Database corruption  (AD Corruption)
 4.) System State.
 5.) Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
 6.) Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

*** Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore
or a complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated
immediately.




Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-11 Thread Jon Adams

Thank you Jim.  I will add this to the followong reasons I just learned a
few moments ago:

Botched Schema update
Accidental deletion of OU (or any other object)
Database corruption
System State
Accidentally deletion of a DNS zone
Some DC's are also File/Print servers, DHCP, etc.

Some of these scenarios would require an authoritative restore or a complete
rebuild of the Active Directory, as some changes are replicated immediately.


...and as you mentioned Jim, time to synch. verses restore.

-Original Message-
From: Jim Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 5:57 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?


Jon,

I'm sure there are a number of pros and cons and I'll let others chime in
... one advantage of having a backup of the Active Directory on a given DC
is time to recovery. While you can bring an active directory back by
simply installing it and letting it synchronize to catch-up to the rest
of the organization, this synchronization can take quite a long time
depending on the size of the directory.  In this case, a backup product
can give you a point-in-time copy of the active directory such that the
synchronization process only has to catch-up from a time in the recent
past.  The time to restore from a tape can be much quicker then doing a
synchronization from ground-zero.

- Jim

J.P. (Jim) Smith
TSM Client Development


Here's an interesting question:  why would you want to backup a DC,
especially where you have a DC (W2K) or two in every remote site of the
WAN?
Why/what would you ever restore that you wouldn't get from the other
domain
controllers if one or even a few are down?

I ask this because my theory is when in doubt, backup it up.  At a
couple
hundred dollars a license it seems a reasonable assurance policy
(depending
on the budget, of course).  Another theory applies here as well, backup
everything, exclude only as needed, even if that client options set gets
pretty big.


Jon R. Adams
IT IPS BST Infrastructure
Premera Blue Cross
Mountlake Terrace, WA
425-670-5770
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-10 Thread Jon Adams

Here's an interesting question:  why would you want to backup a DC,
especially where you have a DC (W2K) or two in every remote site of the WAN?
Why/what would you ever restore that you wouldn't get from the other domain
controllers if one or even a few are down?

I ask this because my theory is when in doubt, backup it up.  At a couple
hundred dollars a license it seems a reasonable assurance policy (depending
on the budget, of course).  Another theory applies here as well, backup
everything, exclude only as needed, even if that client options set gets
pretty big.


Jon R. Adams
IT IPS BST Infrastructure
Premera Blue Cross
Mountlake Terrace, WA
425-670-5770
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



Re: Backup a W2K Domain Controller?

2002-07-10 Thread Jim Smith

Jon,

I'm sure there are a number of pros and cons and I'll let others chime in
... one advantage of having a backup of the Active Directory on a given DC
is time to recovery. While you can bring an active directory back by
simply installing it and letting it synchronize to catch-up to the rest
of the organization, this synchronization can take quite a long time
depending on the size of the directory.  In this case, a backup product
can give you a point-in-time copy of the active directory such that the
synchronization process only has to catch-up from a time in the recent
past.  The time to restore from a tape can be much quicker then doing a
synchronization from ground-zero.

- Jim

J.P. (Jim) Smith
TSM Client Development


Here's an interesting question:  why would you want to backup a DC,
especially where you have a DC (W2K) or two in every remote site of the
WAN?
Why/what would you ever restore that you wouldn't get from the other
domain
controllers if one or even a few are down?

I ask this because my theory is when in doubt, backup it up.  At a
couple
hundred dollars a license it seems a reasonable assurance policy
(depending
on the budget, of course).  Another theory applies here as well, backup
everything, exclude only as needed, even if that client options set gets
pretty big.


Jon R. Adams
IT IPS BST Infrastructure
Premera Blue Cross
Mountlake Terrace, WA
425-670-5770
[EMAIL PROTECTED]