How to enable Server Backup on Windows Server

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In order not to lose important data that you place on the server. For example, databases or something else needs to be backed up, which will be safe regardless of the system. Let's say you accidentally caught a virus on your computer, this virus can be very dangerous and can damage system files, which will make your data unavailable.

Suppose that you have picked up a virus on the system and the files are lost, but then you remember that you had an automatic backup. In this case, the files can be restored, however, there are some nuances here. If the data archive was on the same system where the virus was picked up, then the data is most likely also damaged, which will make recovery impossible.
To avoid this situation, the archive should always be stored on a separate hard disk.

How do I set up a backup on the server?
How do I choose the disk to which the archive should be saved?

Configuring Backup on Windows Server

In order for the backup to be available on your server, you need to download it. To do this, go to Server Manager -> Add roles & features

After logging in, you will be asked to choose which version to install for remote access or not. Select the usual installation and proceed to the selection of the server on which we will install everything related. (You can just click Next)

Now we are offered to choose server roles, for example, allow remote access, etc.

There are various items here and some of them will require setting additional parameters.
The next item we have server features and here we will be asked to choose different settings for the server. This is where we will download the backup package.

We need to find Windows Server Backup in the list and tick the box so that it is downloaded. There are also other useful functions that can be useful in the work.

Next, confirm the download by clicking Install and wait for the download to finish.

After the download is completed, it is best for us to reboot the system so that the changes take effect. Next, we will configure the archiving itself.

After restarting the server, go to Server Manager -> tools -> Windows Server Backup

Here you can observe the following parameters:


Local Backup

  • Last backup status - The status of the last Backup
  • Next backup time - Scheduled Backup
  • Number of available backups - Number of available Backups

Online Backup

  • Eror - To be able to back up online, you need to install Azure

Let's create a Backup for this, go to Local Backup

There is no information in the main menu right now because there are no backups.
The right menu has the following functions:

  • Backup Schedule - Schedule a backup
  • Backup Once - Perform once
  • Recover - Recovery
  • Configure Performance - Configuration

Enabling a disk for archives

If you have connected a separate disk specifically as a storage for your backups, then you should enable it in the system. This can be done as follows - right-click on Start then select disk management

After that, a menu with information about the disks will open in front of us. Here you can split the main disk into several parts or turn on the connected disk so that it becomes available to the system

To turn it on, right-click on it and click on Online

After that, the disk becomes available and you can interact with it.

Scheduled Backup

Let's schedule a backup to do this, click in the side menu Backup Schedule
You will be asked to archive the entire system (recommended) or some individual folders and files. I will choose the entire system, but if you want to archive only one thing on a permanent basis, then choose the second option.

Next, we need to choose at what time the archiving will take place. If you need to archive several times a day, then select the second option and specify the time.

Now you need to choose where the archive will be installed there are three options:

  • The first is the allocation of an entire disk for backup (The best option)
  • The second is the allocation of disk space for backup (It is important to understand that during archiving, the disk will be loaded by 200%)
  • The third one is that the archive will be located on a remote disk (Internet) and thus it will be possible to contain only one archive.

I choose the first option because I have a separate disk specifically for this.

To add a disk, click on Show All Available Disks and select the disk you want to use there. Next, confirm the selection by ticking the box next to the disk.

After that, you will receive a warning that informs you that all data on the disks will be deleted and it will be formatted. You agree to this and the next item you will have information about archiving.

Here in the first column we have indicated the disk on which the archive will be placed. The second field indicates what exactly will be archived and since I chose to archive the entire system, we will have absolutely everything archived.

Then just wait for the end of archiving and then you can restore the system through the created backup
This is how the main backup menu will look after it is created. You will be able to see the time of scheduled archiving and also change other parameters.

Fast Backup

Similarly, you can perform a quick backup of your system by selecting backup once. It will have the same settings, but archiving will begin immediately upon completion of the disk selection and other things.

After everything is completed, the archive will be added to the main menu and you can always restore the system using it. In order to restore the system, you will need to press the Recovery key

Recovery

During system restore, you will be prompted to select the region from which you want to restore the system (On remote servers, the disk may be in different regions)

Next, you will be asked for the date when the archive was created (There may be several different archives with the system or files on the same disk)

After that, specify the type of recovery that you want to restore.

Next, you will need to choose which folder / application and so on you want to restore

After that, select the system recovery options, namely, where everything that has been restored will be placed and what to do if any files match during recovery. (It is recommended to leave everything as it is)

After that you need to confirm all the selected settings

After confirmation, the system recovery procedure will be started.

When the recovery is completed, you will have it indicated in the main backup menu that it was successful.

In this article, we have figured out how to set up system archiving, how to schedule archiving and how to restore the system. With these actions, you can always recover lost data and not worry about losing it. The most important thing is to immediately connect the backup after starting the server so that it is possible to archive data from the very start of work.