Windows Server Backup: How to Install and Use It
Data protection is crucial for any organisation, as unexpected disasters like system errors, hardware failures, or cyber-attacks can have devastating consequences. Windows Server, a central part of many businesses, requires a reliable backup solution to ensure the safety of valuable information.
Windows Server Backup is available on all the editions of Windows Server. This article will guide you through what is Windows server backup and how you can backup, install, uninstall and restore.
What Is Windows Server Backup?
Using the Windows Server Backup feature, you can back up your entire Server, specific volumes, or individual files and folders. Windows Server Backup’s primary object is to ensure business continuity by offering a reliable and efficient backup and recovery solution. The Windows Server Backup feature is not included in the OS by default, so you must install it manually on your Server.
Key features and benefits of Windows Server Backup include:
Full Server Backup: Users can create a complete image backup of the entire Server, including the operating system, system state, applications, and data.
Custom Backup: Windows Server Backup allows users to select specific volumes or folders for Backup, providing more flexibility in data protection.
Incremental Backup: After the initial full Backup, subsequent backups are incremental, meaning only the changes since the last Backup are stored. Incremental Backup helps save storage space and reduces backup time.
Schedule Backup: Users can set up regular and automated backup schedules, ensuring your data is protected regularly without requiring manual intervention.
Bare Metal Recovery: In case of a complete server failure, Windows Server Backup allows users to perform a bare-metal recovery, restoring the entire system to a new or repaired server.
VSS Integration: Windows Server Backup uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to create backups of files that are open or in use, ensuring data consistency.
Recovery Options: Users can perform item-level recovery for specific files and folders, making it easy to restore individual data without restoring the entire Backup.
How to Install Windows Server Backup?
Installing the Windows Server Backup feature is a straightforward process. However, before you begin, ensure all other applications are closed and no critical tasks are running on your Server, as the installation will require a restart. Follow these steps to install the feature:
1. Open the Server Manager and click on Manage at the top right screen.
2. Select Add Roles and Features
3. After reading the introduction, click on the Next
4. Click on Next for the installation type
5. Click on Next for Server selection
6. Click on Next for Server Role
7. In the features section, click on the Windows Server Backup checkbox
8. On the confirmation box, tick the Restart the destination server check box
9. Finally, click on Install.
You have successfully installed the Windows Server Backup feature on your Server.
How to Perform One Time Backup with Windows Server Backup?
To perform Server backup with Windows Server Backup, you will have to do the following steps below:
1. Open the Windows Server Backup application. Click on the Backup Once button in the top left corner.
2. In the Backup Once wizard, Click on the Different options and click Next
3. Select Full Server (If you want, you can click on Custom) and click Next
4. Click on the Local drive (If you want, click on the remote shared folder) and click Next.
5. Select the destination backup volume and click Next
6. If you get any warning messages, ready carefully and Click OK
7. Review the configuration setting and click on Backup Button once you are ready
After clicking Backup, Windows will start backing up to your chosen location. Backup duration depends on disk size and destination path.
How to Perform Schedule Backup with Windows Server Backup?
If you want to schedule the Backup to happen routinely, then you can follow the given steps below for a more efficient way of backing up a Server:
1. Open the Windows Server Backup application.
2. Click on the Backup Scheduled button in the top left corner.
3. Read the getting started message in the backup wizard and Click Next.
4. Select Backup Types as Full Server or Custom
5. You can set up how many times the Windows Server Backup will run and Backup your data under the Specify Backup Time tab. Choose according to your needs.
6. Click on Next, and the Specify Destination Type, where you have to choose whether to save on Local drives or a Remote shared folder.
7. On Select destination volume, please select the destination disk and click on Next
8. Click on Backup once you are ready to start the Backup of your Server.
Scheduling Windows Server Backup to run periodically can be a great idea as it can save data that you might otherwise forget to do so in the Backup Once option.
How to Restore Windows Server From Server Backups?
You can restore your Server using the a backup you have already created . We have broken down these steps below showing how to restore Windows Server Backup data from Server Backups.
1. Open the Windows Server Backup application on your Windows Server.
2. Click on the Recovery button at the top left corner.
3. Select the Backup you want to restore, and you can choose from This Server or A backup stored in another location.
4. On the Backup Date section, select the date of the Server backup you want to restore
5. Select the recovery type as File and Folders (you can either choose to restore files and folders or an entire volume through the options Files and Folders, Volumes, Hyper-V, Applications and System State. Select what suits you best)
6. Select the file you want to Restore
7. In the next tab, you can select the recovery destination and pick the Original location or Another location.
8. Make sure to check all the settings. Click on the Recover button.
The restore process will take time to finish based on the restore type you have chosen.
How to Uninstall Windows Server Backup?
Uninstalling Windows Server Backup is a straightforward process. However, before you begin, ensure all other applications are closed and no critical tasks are running on your Server, as the uninstallation will require a restart. Follow these steps to uninstall the feature:
1. Open the Server Manager and click on Manage at the top right screen.
2. Select Remove Roles and Features
3. After reading the introduction, Click on Next.
4. Select the correct Server and Click on Next
5. Click on Next for Server Role
6. In the features section, untick on the Windows Server Backup check box
7. Click on the Remove Features button and Click on Next
8. On the confirmation box, tick the Restart the destination server check box
9. Finally, Click on Remove
You have successfully uninstalled the Windows Server Backup feature on your Server.
Alternates to Windows Backup Software with Advance features
Although Windows Server Backup offers a primary backup solution, it might only cater to the diverse needs of some users, particularly those searching for more advanced features like incremental or differential backups.
IT professionals often advise looking into an alternative backup solution that has a broader range of functionalities tailored to specific requirements.
Numerous modern backup solutions have cutting-edge features, such as continuous data protection, versioning, and seamless cloud integration, granting comprehensive data security.
Investing in specialised backup software ensures your critical data remains fully safeguarded and recoverable across diverse scenarios.
Take the time to research and identify the backup solution that best aligns with your organisation’s unique needs, maximising data protection and minimising potential risks.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Windows Server Backup is an indispensable tool for ensuring data security on Windows Server. Whether guarding against system-related errors, hard drive failures, malicious activities, or viruses, this Microsoft-built feature offers a dependable backup solution.
By becoming proficient in installing, using, and scheduling backups, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your critical information remains safeguarded.